Dear Mr President
Michael D praises boys for ‘keeping art of letter writing alive’
AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy has landed himself a very special pen pal.
Quinn Finnegan, from Leixlip, Co. Kildare, is in regular correspondence with the nation’s first citizen, President Michael D Higgins.
And he has exchanged letters with other political figures as well, something that has seen Further Education
Minister Simon Harris promise to attend Quinn’s next birthday party with a ‘big birthday present’.
The whole thing began with a suggesally tion from the youngster’s mother, Shirley, who thought writing letters might be a way for him and brother Logan, 10, to practise their handwriting when their school was shut during lockdown.
She told the Irish Mail On Sunday: ‘I suggested the letter writing but never imagined he’d write to the President and certainly wasn’t
‘A testament to our collective creativity’
expecting him to get a reply.
‘Since then our postman Roberto has brought us 16 letters with the distinctive presidential gold harp on them. Quinn’s had Halloween, Christmas and birthday cards, along with one letter inviting him to the Áras.’
President Higgins confirmed to the MoS this weekend that the boys are indeed his new pen friends.
‘It is a real pleasure to see that the art of letter writing is alive and well, and I have enjoyed reading Quinn and Logan’s letters, and the countless letters from children and adults from all over the country and further afield.
‘The Covid-19 pandemic has been a trying time for all of us. At such times, human contact and solidarity are vital, and I am grateful that people like Quinn and his brother Logan have used the time to reach out and share their stories.
‘The letters and drawings I have received paint a very instructive picture of how people have experienced the pandemic, just as they are a testimony to our collective creativity.’
In April 2020, the brothers appeared on the popular RTÉ television show News2day.
Simon Harris was the special guest and Quinn asked him: ‘Can I have my birthday party later this month or will Covid stop it?’
He was a bit disappointed when the minister told him he couldn’t but he promised he would personattend his next one, and a week later a letter arrived from the Fine Gael TD saying: ‘I’m really looking forward to attending your birthday party, I better bring a big present. Any ideas?’
The boy’s letters to other politicians have elicited mixed responses, with one from Logan to Education Minister Norma Foley receiving a somewhat formal reply. Shirley said: ‘He wrote to Norma Foley when the schools reopened asking her to tell teachers to postpone giving homework until pupils got used to school again, and the reply was a bit stuffy. It clearly came from someone in the minister’s office and not her personally. The first line was “Dear Mr
Finnegan”, I mean Mr Finnegan is only 10 years old!
‘It went on, “we would suggest you talk to your class teacher who will explain the need for homework”. That took us aback a bit.’
And Quinn is certainly not impressed with the Taoiseach. His mum explained: ‘Micheál Martin announced there would be no homework for children on April 12th, it was to be no homework day, but Quinn’s teacher gave them homework, so he wrote to the Taoiseach and asked him if he would write to his teacher about it! He did get a very nice letter back but when he read it he said “Mammy he never answered my question!”’
And just to prove we do indeed have an exceptional President, Quinn has decided not all statesmen are quite as nice. Shirley said: ‘He’s written to Joe Biden some time ago but he has heard nothing back yet, so he is now convinced we have the best President in the world.’