Hearts that belong to another

Letters: Irish Times 11th April 2008

Madam,

An emotional dilemma must surely arise for those Taoiseach-nominated senators who are inconsolably bereaved by the impending departure of their patron and benefactor, Bertie Ahern, whose irreparable loss they have been solely lamenting.

For them, as for Duncan’s sons in Macbeth, “the spring, the heads, the fountain of their blood/ Is stopped, the very source of it is stopped”. And for them also, “the wine of life is drawn”.

It is true that their position is constitutionally safe, but they would do better to resign their seats in heartfelt sympathy with their lost leader. Of course, the incoming Taoiseach may well renew their mandate (Art.18.10.2).

In this case, they could properly transfer their allegiance to him, difficult though this might be, for surely something of their hearts will always belong to another

Yours, etc,

JOHN A MURPHY, Rosebank, Douglas Road, Cork.

Somehow, I suspect that John A is referring to one particular senator in this letter.