Spring and the Vineys

A chara, – Michael Viney in "Another Life" ("An appreciation of spring in the winter of his life", March 31st) portrays a true and tender reflection of aging alongside nature in rural Ireland. He brought tears of happiness to my eyes.

I pray that he keeps peeing on the compost heap! – Yours, etc,

SIOBHAN NÍ CRONIN,

Leamlara,

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Co Cork.

Sir, – Michael Viney’s appreciation of spring planted in the winter of this life was a beautiful piece of writing. But my heart sank as I inferred from his tone a sense of impending finality, brought on not least by contemplating his own mighty heart’s beating for 85 years.

Please send someone down to Thallabawn at once to tell him, and the wonderful Ethna, to take it gently, and just keep sitting, watching, listening, and writing about what they see. In this fraught world, we badly need people like them. – Yours, etc,

RODNEY DEVITT,

Sandymount,

Dublin 4.