Posturing of China and Russia is not fooling anyone

They now revert to a covetous imperial mindset, which their eternally subservient populations can only acquiesce to as they have never experienced freedom.

However, they can no longer blame the West for their unfortunate and contained existence, as their political representatives have rendered them into everything they were supposed to hate.

Eugene Tannam
Firhouse, Dublin 24

We feel Ukrainians’ pain and must keep supporting them

I know the map of Ukraine like I know the map of Ireland. The names of its cities, towns and villages are as familiar to me as Irish ones. I know about the mighty Dnipro River and the rich black soil.

The Ukrainian national colours are the same as the GAA colours of Roscommon, Clare, and Tipperary. Blue and gold are colours that Irish people from every county are now proud to wear.

Listening to Prayer for Ukraine by Oleksandr Konysky and Mykola Lysenko has the same effect on me as listening to Seán Ó Riada’s Mise Éire: “…Protect our beloved Ukraine/Bless her with freedom and light…/For ever and ever more.”

We feel the pain of the Ukrainian people and we must continue supporting them in every way possible until victory is theirs.

Chris Fitzpatrick
Terenure Road East, Dublin 6

People from Connacht are excluded from rugby debate

The Six Nations is a brilliant competition. I have fond memories of watching the telly on a Saturday afternoon with my mother, listening to the golden tones of Fred Cogley, Bill McLaren and others like them.

Fast forward to the modern day. I must take issue with this newspaper about an online article that offered predictions from experts and rugby journalists.

There were seven contributors from Leinster, three from Munster and one from Ulster. I never knew there wasn’t a single rugby journalist or “expert” in the entire province of Connacht. Not one!

I am from Connacht and am a Connacht supporter. Sadly, I am used to a complete lack of fair representation. Whether I am reading about rugby or listening to views about it on radio or television, one thing doesn’t change. People in Connacht are just as passionate about rugby as those in the rest of the country. Even so, I continue to endure the complete blanking by Irish media towards those in Connacht.

I do not speak Irish, so despite the valiant efforts of TG4 to represent Connacht and its rugby people, it doesn’t really benefit a vast majority of rugby fans in Connacht.

I will now lie back down and return to my place at the foot of the table to hope, once more, that scraps will come my way.

Name and address with editor

​Uncomfortable questions to be asked ahead of World Cup

I am a life-long rugby supporter and this is, without doubt, the best Irish team ever.

The rugby World Cup is coming up soon. In view of South Africa holding sea exercises with Russia and China, should they be allowed to participate? Should we refuse to participate if South Africa is taking part?

Declan Costelloe
Dún Laoghaire, Dublin

Those rewriting Roald Dahl are meddling with history

On the rewriting of Roald Dahl, are we now to commence the sanitisation of the operas of Puccini or Mozart? Can we please leave future generations with the inheritance of an authentic picture of times past?

Michael Gannon
St Thomas Square, Co Kilkenny

Is it fair to label babies with names that define gender?

I write as a confused social dinosaur. Your article about the most popular baby names has thrown my wokeness into overdrive (‘Cody and Ayda in top 100 for first time as Ireland’s most popular baby names revealed’, Irish Independent, February 25).

Surely it is wrong to impose gender-directing titles on newborns. They are not yet capable of deciding what gender grouping they will evolve into. I worry for the direction society is taking.

Ray Dunne
Enfield, Co Meath