Galway Advertiser 1991/1991_03_07/GA_07031991_E1_019.pdf 

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AN OPEN LETTER TO JOHN WILSON OF DD T E A T- A I H N IW R IARNROD EIREANN POE HN C O D G T IT W O G RW E RN? CAGS HR E PS OE SOCIAL THREAT
Dear Sir, Now that a ceasefire is in effect in the Gulf, perhaps the various groups who have been vitriolic in their condemnation of our Allies actions will not express their horror at the atrocities visited on the citizens of Kuwait by the poor op pressed Iraqis. How many bishops and politicians will hold vigils in Eyre Square for the murdered innocents in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or Israel? How now should we view the Palestinians, who stood on their roofs and cheered as the Scud missiles rained down on Israeli civilians, or who acted an informers in Kuwait for the Iraqi troops? If any good has come out of this horrible war, it has surely been the interna tional identification of the hypocrites and opportunists who, once again, jumped on the wrong bandwagon. In this country, the extent of selective, anti-American condemnation has been sickening; predictable, yes, but still sickening. For years, the Church, the media and the politicians have ignored the cruelties and social injustices suf fered by our own people, preferring to rally to causes that are safe and far away. Their posturing, nar cissistic altruism made me want to throw up. Dear Mr. Wilson, Re: 6.35 p.m. Train Dublin-Gal way, Febraury 2 1 , 1991 Having sat in an unheated, motionless car riage for almost three hours some, perhaps most, of the unfortunate passengers feel it is time to make some gesture, however inade quate, to express our frustration at the perfor mance of Iarnrod Eireann. The facts art these: We left Dublin on time at 6.35 p.m. We reached a point west of Ballinasloe and stopped for almost three hours. Our carriage was unheated. We were not informed at any stage as to the reason for the delay due to a malfunction in the P.A. system in our car riage. The toilets were in an appalling state with no attempt made to clean them during our three hour in carceration. We arrived in Galway at 11.55 p.m. In addition to your passengers, those who were to meet them were greatly inconvenienced. What we experienced on this trip appears to now characterise the general level of service to be ex pected on this route in the view of most of today's passengers. We do expect some compensation for this. An explanation and a letter of regret would be unaccep table. A refund to all your passengers would be a gesture, however inadequate. Yours sincerely, James J. Ward on b e h a l f of t h e attached. A Chara, I was greatly disturbed on hearing the news that Telecom Eireann are soon to introduce new rates on Leo Leonard; S.J. (Jennings; local telephone calls. It Tina Henry; Vera McKenna; Ann McDonogh; Noel proposes to charge for ex Whyte; Roisin Roche; Dawn tra minutes on local calls, Cashman; Joanna Hyland; and to decrease charges on Manjula De Barros; Ethan long distance calls. Murphy; Marie Meehan; Without going into the in Mary Costello; Linda Fartricacies of the situation, rapher: Kieran Sugrue; Rory like comparing with other E.C. countries or consider ing the economic benefits of such a proposal, we must examine the social implications of such a move. For many, the telephone is their only link with the community, particularly for those living in the more rural areas. Rural depopulation in the North West and West, and the (light of young people from these areas has left an age ing population who depend largely on the telephone as a means of keeping in touch with the local community. Voluntary organisations such as the Samaritans and Cura. will also suffer because most of their work (which is vital and often saves lives) is carried out on the telephone. The telephone is the only exer cise for the minds and senses of house-bound peo ple because it articificially links them with other human beings. Ultimately it could be considered a means of retaining sanity, particularly for those living in isolated areas. Once again this is a question of monetary gain being equated with the well being of the people, in this case their mental well be ing. In a society ridden with depression, loneliness and suicide, I think the government should con sider carefully before allowing such destructive measures to come into play. I.e gach dea-mhein, Cearuilin Ni Raonhallaigh "Sraid Dubh", Br. Mearai. I aran Mor. Imelda Carroll; T. Cullinane; Anita Lardner; Pattie Ryan; Michael Costello; Suzanne O'Toole; Mairead Hayes; Teresa O'Grady; Jane Cooke; Don na Craven; Sean Whelan; Burke; M. Gallagher; R. Walsh; Martin McGrath; Marie Kelly; Ann Moriarity; Ann O'Connor. Ann Power; Mary Glen; Frances Daly; Hugh Coyle; Colette Coyle; Tomas McKeown; Kevin Holland; Tony Collins; David Regan; Jim McGilligan; Michelle Kenny; Margaret Lynch; Yvonne Barry; Cliona O'Byrne; Tim Keane; J. Kel ly; Kieran Faherty; S. Dooley; P. Byrne; Rita Kirwan; Nora Rushe; Vincent Rushe. Patricia Naughton; John Carl; Rose Lee; Breege Staunton; Natalie Lohan; T. Heaton; James J. Ward; E. Townley; Noreen O'Regan; E. Finan; P. O'Donovan; C. Conneally; C. Grimes; Sean Naughton; Margaret Nolan; Ann Walshe; Marion Dooley; Bridie Lyons; C. Berreen; M. MacNally; Geraldine Moylan; Colette Kellehan; Mary Connolly; Mae Prendergast; Kerry Hansberry; M. Griffith. Bernadette Ryan; Carmel Fawley; Miriam Cronin; Evelyn White; Lilian Greaney; Jenny Beale; Ann Donlon; Mary Gannon; Ann T. Mullarkey; Teresa Flynn; Bernard Doorley; Tony Mullen; Carrie Gaffney: Gary O Dohiartaigh; Bren dan Fannan; Mary O'Neill; William Wallace; M. Kerr; Marion Hughes; Ray Kelly; Derek Gleeson; T. Cullinane; Anita Lardner; Pattie O'Toole; Mairead Hayes; Teresa O'Grady.

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Their stance will not be forgotten, in this country or abroad. Yours sincerely, Gabriel Lacey 2 8 L o u g h Atalia Grove, Renmore, Galway.

Reader Bounces back a reply to Condom comment
A Cara, I liked your Comment in The Galway Advertiser this week. i . e . "CondomNation". "Grow up. grow up. get responsible, those little boxes with the videos in the Virgin store" What a laugh! Keep that up! Were you listening to that programme on BBC4 Friday morning at 8 p.m. (1.3.91.)? Discussing a survey done on child sexabuse, it stated that we need no longer look for adult men as the greatest offenders are 6 year olds and upwards. One mother who is a child minder takes her 6 year old boy to work with her. Instead of play ing, as children do, the boy was sexually abusing the children she was minding. We are told that 12 year old boys are having con doms at school with them. The sex maniacs in RTE never stop promoting such behaviour. Up until recently the tobacco manufacturers had a field-day. All the ads were showing lovely young people with cigarettes in their mouths. Now the tide has turned. It's almost a crime to be seen smoking. The same went for the breweries. The ads were showing people enjoying different brands of drink. Now there is a clampdown. Drink is shown as a health hazard. But the media must offer something instead, so they are backing up the rubber trade, telling people that condoms are not only a contraceptive but a health-guard as well. That is misleading, to say the least! When another com modity comes on the market, there will be a clamp-down on the rubber trade. I hope its not too late for the unfortunate victims.

COAL NEEDS HELP

Dear Sir, Now that we have seen the Allies pouring vast amounts of money into the Gulf War, the West can never again claim "lack of money" as a reason for not preventing famine in Africa. The record of the Major Powers and the In ternational Agencies in dealing with human tragedy in Africa over the past decade has been lamentable. It was always a case of too little and too late. Millions of children perished in Mozambique, Uganda, Ethiopia and the Sudan because the Interna tional Community did not act promptly and effectively. Today in the Sudan famine has gripped large sections of the country. In the GOAL run clinics in the shanty towns which ring Khartoum, children are dying because there is not enough food to feed them. Throughout the country as many as 6 million could be threaten ed by the effects of drought. What is the West doing about it? Almost nothing. The United Nations and the Major Powers claim their hands are tied because the Sudanese Government has not requested help, and this suits the West nicely. Since General Basir and his colleagues have given moral support to Saddam Hussein, the Western Powers are not anxious to offer him any assistance. But what of the im-

poverished Sudanese peo ple? Are we going to let them starve to death because "politically it does not suit us to help"? There can now be absolutely no doubt that the International Community lacks the will to save the lives of the star ving millions in Africa. That is the biggest tragedy afflicting the world today. Yours, John O'Shea Director, GOAL.

TOO HEAVY A LOAD?
even pull the carriage in Dear Editor Today (Saturday) I was a straight line, despite socalled "encouragement" witness to the unpleasant from their owner. spectacle of a double decker horse-drawn car No animal should be riage full of people making subjected to the treatment it's way down Eglinton I witnessed, which is upsetStreet. The two animals ling for anyone to see, in were in obvious distress, cluding tourists. The owner straining to the utmost to would be well advised to pull a load which was far invest some of his money too heavy for them to on two extra horses. manage comfortably. Name a n d Address with Editor. At times thev could not

Greetings from San Die

Our bodies are our most precious possession. We must not barter a few moments of so-called pleasure for a lifetime of remorse. Our present Mayor of Galway has said, "Some people think that men are explosive pieces of machinery and it's a woman's function to set them alight". Not only women, some men also suffer. I know a youth who was sexually abused at school. He will never be the same again. Now our government are talking about updating the law in favour of the rubber trade. Nothing can be plitically right when it's morally wrong! Yours sincerely, Maire Ni Siochain

Cathy Cunniss from Beattystown, Claddagh, was on holiday in San Diego, U.S.A.. As she is an inveterate card shop shopper Cathy was soon lost in the racks of colourful cards on display. She screamed for her husband when she found this one! Taken by New York photographer C. Rosengren in 1984, and published by Freezeframe Cards, the picture shows two Claddagh men cycling past Eamonn Mulholland's shop in Dominick Street. It's easy to identify Martin Connolly of St. Nicholas' Road, and Sonny Dolan of Claddagh Quay. It's a small world alright. The title of the card reads: "They're off!"