Obamas might have enjoyed Ballymun trip

Matt Cooper (Opinion, Jun 21) doesn’t actually say so, but he does imply that the visit of the Obama ladies to Dublin was a disaster.

They were brought from one boring location to another — inevitably Trinity College was included — and by the time the family flew out the daughters must have been bored stiff.

Caroline Doherty suggested that Mrs Obama emerged from the hostelry in Dalkey with a spring in her step, which could be interpreted in two ways — a. She enjoyed her meal having wisely avoided bacon and cabbage or b. Was an hour nearer to departing from a boring country.

Could the people who planned the visit not have put Ballyfermot or Ballymun, or even Kilbarrack on the itinerary, but to be fair the US secret servicemen would probably have vetoed such an imaginative suggestion. I am sure there are hostelries in these areas which would have produced an equally good meal.

As regards the president’s speech in Belfast, Mr Cooper is also right to suggest that George W Bush would have peddled much the same stuff in his day, but in his case would have been treated with disdain by the media.

Donal Donovan

Thornbury

Model Farm Road

Cork