Shades of Orwell as we enter a dark place

GARDAÍ raid a radio station looking for names, the State broadcaster makes a grovelling apology, an artist is interviewed under caution — all because of some paintings of Brian Cowen.

When will a satirical poem cause the author to be “interviewed under caution”?

When will the director of a play dealing with Irish politics find himself similarly interviewed?

It has been noted the gardaí were let out of the traps much more quickly over a couple of portraits than over the Anglo Irish affair. Fianna Fáil didn’t have much to say about the dignity of the Office of An Taoiseach when Bertie Ahern’s tribunal evidence had the country in stitches. But perhaps we are missing the essential point. When politicians use the gardaí to stifle artistic dissent, raid radio stations and interview artists in garda stations about their work, and no discussion of any of this is permitted in the Dáil, we have entered an ominously dark place. Artists and writers have a duty to make known their deep unease at this Orwellian development.

Fred Johnston

Carn Ard

Circular Road

Galway