Letter to the Editor: Annoyed by irritation of incessant jungle music

Why oh why, must everyplace have to play awful pop music? I say awful because most of it is just a continuous thumping jungle music beat; a most annoying irritation, unrelated to any type of recognisable melody or tune.

Gone are the days when a singer or a song can be easily recognised. Recently, we went into a fairly posh restaurant, not cheap by any means, with lovely sea views. As more people entered the volume of the music went up, with the result of us having to shout to be heard.

I would have left the place gladly but we had friends with us. Again I seemed to be the only person annoyed with the ear drum intrusion. Our younger friends were amused at my unease, it showed on my face.

I tried to explain to the younger couple that a restaurant was at one time considered an almost sacrosanct place akin to a library, a place where voices were supposed to be lowered, almost whispered.

“Ah,” they said in unison, “that was 40 years ago probably, today is different, noise is everywhere.”

“Unfortunately,” I replied. “I know only too well, music should be in the background — non-intrusive, if at all.”

Why are older people not considered any more? It now seems as if the younger noise merchants have the control button almost everywhere: restaurants, bars, filling stations, beach bars and shops.

There seems to a be a consensus that the “old fogeys” don’t count anymore, and the merchants of noise feel they must fill any peaceful space, with their brand of “hacksaw music” as if the sound of silence will kill them, and everybody else.

Holly Barrett

Mallow

Co Cork