The papal election from 1268 to 1271 was the longest in history. After two years of infighting, the magistrates of Viterbo locked the cardinals inside, reduced their food to bread and water and removed the roof over their heads.

The papal election from 1268 to 1271 was the longest in history.

A recent article (Irish Examiner, January 4) asked a timely question — “Could climate change pose a threat to our ability to produce electricity?” There is another real risk. A massive solar flare would have the magnetic power to trip electrical power grids worldwide.

Michael Mernagh wrote to suggest that combining the collection of Local Property Tax and water charges would be efficient and — in his view — might evaporate the protests.

The one cent and two cent coins will soon disappear from everyday life (“Small copper coins come a cropper”, Irish Examiner, October 20).

When the banking catastrophe crashed upon the shores of Ireland, our Government nationalised the banks. We hear lately that they want to privatise those same banks again. The people of Ireland now rightly own the banks, although you would never think so.

Hello everybody. Welcome aboard your fantasy holiday with Toto Torro Tours.

The average rate of income tax levied on each euro of gross income in 2010 was 12.6 per cent.

Irish Water launched a postal blitz throughout April and May this year.

Officialdom now wants everybody to take out health insurance or risk having to pay age-related loadings.

The Government recently appointed a committee to consider extending the boundary of Cork City. The census records suggest that they proceed with caution.

After years of scrimping, the Irish people are sick of penny-pinching. They decided en masse to splash out in the lead up to Christmas and in the sales that followed.

Eircode will soon foist smart location codes upon us. 

The minimum wage became law in 2000. Eleven years elapsed before the Government capped the pay of senior civil servants at €200,000 per year. The income distribution statistics for 2011, compiled by the Revenue Commissioners, make interesting reading. Half of all taxpayers accounted for one-fifth of gross incomes.

In January, the GAA introduced the black card for cynical fouls in football. It has eliminated much of the pulling and dragging that blighted the game. Not counting replays or extra-time, the average score in games played in this year’s All-Ireland senior football championship is 35 points.

Europe foisted two regional assemblies on the Irish people in 1999.

Before the May elections the Government promised 104 litres of water free to each child per day. The Commission for Energy Regulation informed the Committee on Environment recently that Irish Water now want to reduce that allowance (Irish Examiner, July 2).

A 40-hour week on the national minimum wage earns €346. The contributory State pension is €230.30 per week

I do not fully agree with Gordon Cunningham that dinosaur bones prove the futility of religious belief (Letters, Irish Examiner, May 31).

The Occupy movement erupted in several major cities across the world in 2011 but fizzled out in 2012. Their slogan was ‘We are the 99%’. That simple fact is still true today.

Ministers are striving to outdo one another with threats of even more taxes in the next budget. This Government have lost the run of themselves.

Brendan Casserly (Letters, May 6) sees no reason why honours maths should merit extra points. I disagree.

The rules of hurling state that a penalty shall be taken from the 20-metre line.

It is often alleged that U2 reduced their tax liability by moving their accountancy base to the Netherlands. The real issue is why taxes are so high in Ireland.

I was disturbed to read Justin Kelly’s well-written letter of March 19 about the ‘smoking gun’.

I have a dim memory of an old TV movie from 1980 called Ohms.

Reports say that about 240,000 children under six years old will get free doctors’ care by the end of 2014.

Twelve years ago, Ireland changed over from the punt to the euro. Today, the Central Bank continues to exchange old punts for euro (at face value).

Several letters appeared recently in the Irish Examiner about the Irish language. Some referred to the rights of citizens to use Irish when dealing with government offices.

House prices in Ireland are still economically outrageous.

Des MacHale is right (Letters, Nov 18). A single team could represent Ireland North and South in soccer.

Every so often, letters appear in the papers about the Irish Government’s contributions to overseas aid.

That was a ‘timely’ letter from Maurice Fitzgerald, on Oct 30 (“It’s time to end summertime”).

On budget day, I watched, with growing disgust, our politicians in their expensive business suits, as they sat on their luxuriously upholstered thrones meekly doing the bidding of their Troika masters.

The Medical Card was introduced in 1970 to help people who cannot afford the high cost of doctors and medicines.

The word on the street is the Seanad costs the Exchequer €20 million a year.

This year is the year of The Gathering. It has been a spectacular success so far.

A trend has developed in Gaelic football where goalkeepers often trot up more than half the field to take a free kick. This tactic wastes valuable time and slows down the game. There must be a rule against it somewhere in the rulebook. If not, there should be.

Gaelic football would benefit enormously if the GAA reduced the number of players on a team to 13.