LETTERS - Village Magazine

December-January 2014 17

On the provenance of Kevin Kiely

Dear Editor:

Some of your contributors merit a brief – and very use-

ful – biographical note. Others do not. For this reader

at least, the most glaring omission in the November

issue was the lack of any provenance of the writer of

the bilious article ‘The I.T. Gang’. While I have read

and enjoyed the output of many of the award-winning

authors mentioned in the piece, John Banville, Colm

Tóibín, Roy Foster, Roddy Doyle et al, the name Kevin

Kiely is unknown to me. Perhaps he too has been gar-

landed with literary honours, an Impac or Man Booker,

an American National Book Award? Sadly word of these

literary distinctions has yet to reach here.

Yours faithfully

Terry Kelleher

St Remy de Provence, France

Ed’s note: Dr Kevin Kiely is a former literary editor

of Books Ireland; Fulbright scholar; Professor of Irish

Literature, University of Idaho (2008-2009); biog-

rapher of Francis Stuart; poet, novelist, critic and

playwright. He was awarded the Patrick Kavanagh

poetry fellowship in 2006. Village generally takes a

dismissively egalitarian stance on garlands.

On Village’s Parks Special

Dear Editor:

Reading your Parks Special (Nov Village), I agreed with

the section relating to staﬀ: most Local Authorities have

a core of professional staﬀ – architects, engineers and

planners, but only a limited number employ professional

parks staﬀ.

However, in respect of Dublin its still amazing to think

that a small number of highly motivated professional

staﬀ achieve so much with so little and in the process

have left a legacy of immense recreational value for the

present and the future in outstanding parks, includ-

ing Marlay, Corkagh, Tymon North, Malahide Castle,

Newbridge Demesne and Ardgillan.

As to Ciaran Cuﬀe’s suggested steps for better parks,

I think the author of the article and I see elements of the

landscape in a diﬀerent way. You need to know what you

are looking for to be able to ﬁnd it.

For example, many years ago while walking for the

ﬁrst time through Alpine meadows in the Spanish

Pyrenees, I asked what do Gentians look like. Our guide,

a famous British horticulturist, said look under your

feet, you have been walking on them for the past hour

but not knowing, did not see them. Suddenly my eyes

were opened and I saw them everywhere.

I see wild ﬂower meadows in the Tolka Valley, at

Robswall Park in Malahide, at Malahide Castle, and

have enjoyed participating in the Bio-blitz at St Anne’s

park.

One of my favourite urban parks for viewing nature

in all its forms be it wild ﬂowers, majestic native trees,

birds, animals, bats and an amazing variety of habitats

must be the Phoenix Park .

Others use the Park for active recreation be it formal

sports, play facilities at the Visitor Centre, or just to run

or walk.

Long may it survive in this form and be known

as one of the premier world parks, a rare jewel to be

treasured.

Rare breeds of cattle are used to graze vegetation at

Robswalls, and in St Catherine’s. In fact it has been my

experience that innovative land-management tech-

niques are part of every day life in Irish parks.

Extensive usage is made of native tree species in plant-

ing schemes. However, diversity is important as you

never know what aggressive pathogen is about to pounce

– look at the demise of the elm.

What grows in the hostile environment of a roadside

margin rather than survives is often a diﬃcult choice.

From my experience play – be it formal or informal

- is encouraged, the problem being in the Irish context

that we seem all to ready to make claims.

Perhaps a bit more parental responsibility might be

desirable.

The role of trees and woodland in terms of biodiver-

sity, carbon sequestration and enjoyment needs to be

reinforced.

Hopefully the legislation in relation to tree preserva-

tion will be updated, and possibly the right of appeal to

An Bord Pleanála reintroduced.

Yours faithfully

Peter W Cuthbert

Landscape consultant and former senior executive parks

superintendent for Fingal County Council

On our kind direct provision system

Dear Editor:

Frank Connolly’s use of a case-history to illustrate

the “inhumane” direct provision system (Village, Nov

2014) was quite extraordinary.

“Ramesh”, he told us, came to Ireland in January

2010, applied for asylum and got refugee status that

same year.

Refugee status gives you the same entitlements as any

Irish citizen. On getting it, you leave direct provision.

You are not thrown out overnight, but given some time

to make new arrangements.

But Connolly tells us that “Ramesh” has “recently”,

i.e. four years later, left direct provision.

Given his fragile mental state, after torture in Sri

Lanka, we must assume that he was allowed to stay for

four years out of kindness and consideration for his

vulnerability.

Yet Connolly uses this kindness and consideration as

a stick with which to beat the direct provision system.

How very logical.

Yours faithfully

Áine Ní Chonaill, PRO

Immigration Control Platform

PO Box 6469

Dublin 2

December-January 2014

LETTERS

VILLAGE

Please address letters to:

editor@villagemagazine.ie.

Village

reserves the right to

edit letters.

Village

oﬀers a

serious right of reply or

clariﬁcation to readers.