Letters: Fitness, not financing, sets Dublin GAA apart from rest

Instead of urging and supporting ‘weaker’ counties to step up and become more competitive, we have suggestions to drag the best down to mediocrity.

Within the next few weeks we are bound to hear calls of “Break up Dublin” as the team continues to improve.

What the administrators of our games should do is encourage Dublin in their endeavours and support others to employ the same level of dedication and hard work.

It is obvious to most neutral observers that the main difference between successful teams and others is the very high level of fitness, so let’s stop trying to thwart the efforts of the best.

Football and hurling are two of the best spectacles when played at the highest level. Getting to that level is not easy, and no amount of moaning or cosmetic changes will contribute to closing the gap between teams.

Jim O’Sullivan, Rathedmond, Sligo

Banks and landlords profit while citizens forced to leave

I read of the young lady who received a call from her landlord while she was at work, saying her belongings had been packed up and removed (‘Landlord who evicted tenants then rented out flats on Airbnb has history of unlawful evictions’, Irish Independent, April 26).

Her landlord claimed he was selling the property, but it turned out he was advertising it on Airbnb. This landlord, it transpired, had a history of unlawful evictions. It raises questions about Airbnb registration and regulation.

I also read of a teacher who faces eviction after seven years (‘I’m facing eviction at the end of term and I may be forced to quit the job I love’, Irish Independent, April 14).

The woman in question teaches biology and chemistry through Irish at Gaelcholaiste na Mara in Arklow.

She has mortgage approval for €200,000, but any house she finds at that price bracket has been rejected by the bank.

These are the types of landlords we thought were to do with Famine times, but we now find that our banks – which were bailed out by the State just a few years ago –are not only slow to give people mortgage approval, but have the final decision on the type of home they will accept. And we wonder why our young graduates are moving abroad.

Hugh Duffy, Cleggan, Co Galway

Geriatric battle for White House a recipe for disaster

The good citizens of the US don’t seem concerned at the state of their political situation, but concerned they most certainly should be.

As it stands, the election next year will be fought by two geriatrics, each backed by token women, neither of whom could be considered suited to the big gig.

Joe Biden is a decent old duffer, but already showing worrying signs of cognitive and spatial impairment, and would be 86 at the end of a second term.

Trump is a twice-impeached and once-indicted, ex-bankrupt, lying misogynist rabble-rouser and would be into his 80s if he won.

Given their respective ages, it is quite possible the winner might pop his clogs in office, leaving the nation in a state of panic.

Kamala Harris has no record to speak of; invisible and inaudible, her achievements could be written on the back of a playing card. Marjorie Taylor Greene, likely to be Trump’s running-mate, is as fruity and nutty as him and has absolutely no experience at any senior political level.

As some might say: “Armageddon outta here.”

David Ryan, Co Meath

Remembering a hero of Irish parliamentary democracy

Frank Coughlan rightly praises those people who built our parliamentary democracy from the ashes of the War of Independence and Civil War (‘Our Democracy was built on peaceful prose, not violence’, Irish Independent, April 25).

Among the real democratic heroes who have been forgotten was Tom Johnson. As first parliamentary leader of the Labour Party, he opposed those who launched the Civil War while also demanding that the government should follow all legal, moral and democratic practices in dealing with the anti-Treaty elements.

He ensured democratic parliamentary politics would be the norm in our new state. It is long past time for him to be officially, if belatedly, honoured.

Dermot Lacey, Donnybrook, Dublin 4