McAleese failed us in our hour of need

I FELT it would be remiss not to take you to task for your editorial (October 25), unconditionally and uncritically eulogising Mary McAleese.

It would of course be churlish not to recognise her achievements in relation to the developing peace process and on the more frothy ceremonial aspects of her 14-year sojourn.

However, given the appalling state of the country today, it is simply ludicrous to say as you do, that she and her husband leave in the knowledge that they helped make Ireland a far better place.