Letter to the Editor: Snobbery in Cork City is in a class of its own

Michael Moynihan's 'social espionage' report hits home

Michael Moynihan would surely need to watch himself on his eavesdropping sorties out and around in Cork — ‘Cork is the ideal size for nuanced snobbery and always has been’ ( , Opinion, November 12).

His detailed social espionage report on two Blackrock ladies having a competitive coffee “snob-in” hit the bullseye of a tawdry reality prevailing and pervading the worried, well classes of leisure.

Not only does Michael capture the tedious essence of shallow snobbery à la Cork-mode, but he persuasively extrapolates his survey with resonant Dublinesque comparators, employing astute observations/assessments on same topic by the late journalist/poet/writer Sean Dunne.

These comparisons and distinctions curtly convince about the scale of each city having a key influence on both the level and spread of vacuous “vocalese”, and the self-aggrandising pointedness of same.

A wonderful city of character, both in its natives and its cityscape, Cork sadly lets itself down in the area of heightened false notions of the wannabes and the monied-well. From ladies-who-lunch at various charity gigs to the social and personal columns of would-be “class climbers”, one only has to marvel, nay wrench, at the nasal nozzling of a classic Montenotte accent.

Of course, there’s a varied version of snide snobbishness in every city, town, village and townland in the country, albeit nuanced to suit appropriate vernacular camouflage requirements. The distinguishing differential with Cork is that it’s very proud to openly strut its self-importance and self-elevation without fear or favour.

Thus, one would at least have to compliment their transparent authenticity in that regard.

Never shy coming forward to assert and always at the ready to defend itself as the real capital of Ireland, Cork is nonetheless a rich mix of the folksy, the gutsy and, yes, the “poshy”.

Jim Cosgrove

Lismore

Co Waterford

Ireland less wealthy than GDP suggests

Irish taxpayers should thank Poland and Hungary for their veto of the EU’s new budget (‘Hungary and Poland block EU budget and virus plan’, Irish Examiner, November 17).

Our EU contributions are calculated on our GDP which is grossly inflated by the legal accounting tricks used by US multinationals here.

According to the economist Cormac Lucey this means that we pay the EU each year far more than we should or can afford.

Despite our massive national debt and a Covid-adjusted unemployment rate of 29% in April, our contributions to the EU will continue to rocket.

We should salute Poland and Hungary for standing up to the EU when they feel their national interests are at stake. Here, in contrast, our politicians prefer to be seen as the EU’s “goody two-shoes”.

Thus they happily hand over our money to the EU’s cash-burning machine in Brussels rather than admit that Ireland is far less wealthy than it appears on paper.

Karl Martin

Bayside

Dublin 13

Nphet selective with reported data

At one point in time, Nphet was seen — with some justification — as a noble and trustworthy body, attempting to stem a pandemic in this country.

I’m afraid to say, however, that recently it appears more concerned with power and image than facts and forthrightness.

It seems to me that Tony Holohan and Ronan Glynn tag each other in — like a pair of wrestlers — every time they feel that the public is tiring of one of them. Such awareness of their public image is disturbing.

One would have thought that if the facts and numbers were grave and serious enough, the messenger wouldn’t matter.

It also seems they jump on any increase in case numbers to keep their grip on the public consciousness.

Perhaps in the interest of keeping the public fully informed, they could again report the median age and number of underlying medical conditions of those who are reported to have unfortunately succumbed to Covid 19.

At the very least, our fourth estate might ask Dr Holohan — or Dr Glynn — why they distinctly changed tack in relation to those particular figures, as they used to be announced by Nphet earlier in the pandemic response.

One can’t help but suspect that certain numbers and statistics are more reportable than others as far as Nphet are concerned.

Simon O’Connor

Crumlin

Dublin 12

Ending hunt won’t stop our evolution

The suspension of hunting with hounds, hare coursing and shooting due to Covid-19 restrictions has reduced the Irish bloodsports community to tears.

Denied access to their victims they are using every angle to allow them get out and kill wildlife for the sake of their mental health.

Political favours are being called in to raise the issue in the Dáil resulting in more serious social issues being pushed to the political siding.

The judicial system is also being called upon to pronounce judgment on the right to kill wildlife as a person’s expression of free will and movement.

In the midst of this pleading it has been noted that some members of the bloodsports community are disregarding public health advice and are hunting away knowing that enforcement is nigh impossible.

Hunt followers can plead tradition, social enjoyment and communicating with nature.

None of this verbal whitewash will support the claim that the right to hunt should remain part of what we are.

Nothing can or will justify killing animals for pleasure. When the right to hunt is removed what will be the effect on society.

Will society stop evolving and come to a sudden halt. The answer is: no it won’t.

The pandemic driven ban on bloodsports needs to be made permanent.

John Tierney

Campaigns director

Association of Hunt Saboteurs

Dublin 1

People fed up with level 5 restrictions

Clearly just about everybody is fed up with level 5 restrictions, or will he by December 1.

The bargain when we the people agreed to go along with level 5 was that we would, short of a major setback, be in level 2 if not level 3 for Christmas.

There is now a legitimate expectation that we will be at level 3 for the first week in December and at level 2 for the two weeks before and one week after Christmas.

To do otherwise the Government will lose the goodwill of the people, if even those of us who are largely or fully sticking to the guidelines are about to give up on what remains of our trust in the experts, the Government and the restrictions.

Kevin T Finn

Mitchelstown

Co Cork

What now for US Republican party?

I watched the the former US president Barack Obama in an interview recently and remembered what was, and then looked forward to, what could be with the new presidency.

One minor story amused me, after the completion of his terms in the Oval Office, Mr Obama was doing some reading while being driven somewhere and the car stopped.

The reason the car had stopped was because there was a red traffic light and for almost all of the previous eight years there had been no red lights in his way.

He was back to facing some of the parts of life that a normal citizen — although still realistically being in a privileged position.

Most ex-presidents have continued to live a public life and kept working in roles and organisations that helped to make the US as a country better.

The job is really for life although it is uncertain how president Trump will contribute after his retirement apart from supporting the golfing community — especially those playing at his clubs.

What many people fear, especially perhaps the Republicans although they might not admit it, is that he will have a significant role and maybe control of the Republican party, its nature and direction.

The Republican party needs to lick its wounds and start to look at how they can return to their true nature and ignore the worst of its voices.

They should accept the 2020 election decision, look to work with the other side especially with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic as so many are dying, and the social and economic environment needs to be helped.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne

Australia

Hurling back as it should be in Déise

Full credit to Liam Cahill and the Waterford hurling panel on the return to hurling as it should be in the Déise.

One would rather see Waterford suffer a narrow defeat than win with the horrible hurling which was inflicted on the Waterford supporters, and indeed all supporter’s of hurling a few seasons ago.

Nicholas Parker

Youghal