Cutting through the Robinson humbug

Sir — In her article on the fawning culture of entitlement behind the proposed €5m Mary Robinson Presidential Library, Eilis O’Hanlon (Sunday

Independent, November 20) has once again demonstrated her ability to cut through humbug and pretence.

Having read it, a line from Alexander Pope that I learned 60 years ago came back to me: What oft was thought but ne’er so well express’d. Ms O’Hanlon is a credit to her profession.

Whatever one thinks of Mrs Robinson using the Aras as a stepping stone to a better job in the United Nations, it is sad to see a woman in the twilight of her career showing such little regard for her reputation.

It is not too late for her to redeem herself by abandoning this ill-conceived project and its scandalous tax concessions for the Robinson family, and following the example of her predecessors by handing over her papers to the State without financial compensation. Seamus Sheahan,

Croom, Co Limerick

High ambitions

Sir — Congratulations to Eilis O’Hanlon (Sunday Independent, November 20) for a well-crafted article — the tenth paragraph, with its final sentence, deserves to be placed in front of all aspiring journos’ desks.

We were out of the country in 1990 but shortly after the election we were home on holiday and I was chatting to a friend who was an old Labour supporter. He was telling me that Mary Robinson’s higher ambitions were so well known that, among her party’s upper echelons, she was known as Mary Mary (Boutros Boutros-Ghali was UN secretary-general).

My one cavil with Eilis’s article is that, while mentioning the absence of self-glorification among her predecessors, was the fact that, with the obvious exception of the first, they were all members of Fianna Fail and, with tongue firmly in cheek, I would suggest there is a class level between them and Labour.

Cal Hyland, Rosscarbery,

Co Cork

No answer to a victim’s question

Sir — I write in relation to the article, “Trusted dad goes on crime spree aged 62”, by Maeve Sheehan, (Sunday Independent, November 20).

As the owner of one of the 52 businesses duped out of almost €50,000 by this man, I have a question to ask.

I will be reaching retiring age on April 1 next year and I too regard myself as a trusted member of society.

I began work in early October 1966 and, apart from three months in early 1970, I have worked continuously since. I became self-employed in late 1970 and have run my own business ever since.

Though fortunate enough to have never had a serious accident, I feel that I too have become brain-damaged trying to make ends meet.

I have been the victim of several burglaries and thefts — mostly by people in hoodies, but also some by people in suits, who had transport I could only aspire to or look up at.

My pension has long since been cashed in to pay the bills.

So to my question: If I decided to take some time off and con my suppliers out of €50,000 before I retire, would I too get a suspended sentence?

It is a hypothetical question — I don’t really expect an answer. Jerry O’Toole,

Kilbride, Co Carlow

Such Nobel words

Sir — All the discussions and analysis on how Mr Trump won the recent American presidential election brings back the words of the latest recipient of the Nobel prize for Literature. Bob Dylan wrote more than 50 years ago: When you got nothing, You got nothing to lose. You’re invisible now, You got no secrets to conceal. How does it feel To be on your own, With no direction home, Like a complete unknown, Like a rolling stone? Maybe our own political elite could take note? Robert Corrigan, Bogota DC,

Colombia