I am bored with 'bigoted midgets'
I was elated by Kevin Myers' forthright contribution concerning the baffling behaviour of rugby icon, Ronan O'Gara, in the presence of the Queen at Hillsborough Castle recently.
In equal measure, I was disgusted by the plaudits for O'Gara's grossly offensive behaviour contained in several letters in this and other Irish newspapers written by "bigoted midgets" and "national dwarves" (Kevin's brilliant descriptions), who are most likely no friends of O'Gara's chosen sport!
Most of them seem to sign their names in Gaelic, which probably tells us something about their anti-British motivation.
What O'Gara and company, the Irish national rugby team, must realise is that, on the pitch and off the pitch, they represent this country -- a role that imposes the obligation to be on their best gentlemanly behaviour at all times.
As one who places immense importance upon good manners, especially where women are concerned, I do not wish to be represented by the likes of O'Gara if his oafish behaviour in the presence of the 83-year-old Queen, a most gracious lady, was a deliberate and stupid act of political 'defiance'.
I have lost all of the immense respect I once held for him.
If the hands-in-pockets incident was accidental and unintentional, O'Gara should lose no time in clarifying the situation once and for all. If it was accidental, I will be the first to forgive him. However, if it was deliberate, then Kevin Myers was right to label him a lout.
Like your excellent columnist, I am bored out of my skull with the pathetic infantile obsession about 'Ireland not being British'.
I am a British citizen and an Irish citizen -- a dual loyalty sanctioned by the Good Friday Agreement -- and most of my living relatives are British-born. They are all 'family' and I respect their head of state.
Brian Robert Kenney
Lr Baggot Street, Dublin 2
