Letters: Describing Hamas and Hezbollah as ‘Iran-backed’ provides crucial context

It's an important description, because Iran is such an egregious human rights abuser, especially of women. It backs groups like Hamas to further its extreme Islamist agenda.

In 2014, Iran sentenced six young men and women to be lashed for dancing to Pharrell Williams's Happy.

Last January, Roya Heshmati, a young Iranian woman, was lashed 74 times for not wearing a hijab in public. Lawyers are sentenced for defending women like Roya. The best known example is Nasrin Sotoudeh, a mother and an internationally renowned human rights lawyer, who was sentenced in 2019 to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes.

Well done to the Irish Independent for reporting what's really behind the news.

Karl Martin, Bayside, Dublin

It appears Von der Leyen has placed McGrath in EU Commission bold corner There appears to be some hand- wringing going on in official circles regarding the lower-than-expected position doled out to Michael McGrath in the EU Commission.

Why is anyone surprised? Several Irish MEPs voted against Ursula von der Leyen recently, with one going so far as to call her a "monster". What did we expect?

Now it's like watching the best boy in class being made to stand in the corner to teach him a lesson.

Peter Declan O'Halloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan

Justice portfolio may lack glamour, but has potential to carry some serious clout Reading between the lines, it seems the allocation of the EU portfolio of Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law to Michael McGrath is an indicator that Ireland's stock in Brussels has fallen more than a little, irrespective of the ensuing political spin.

In the context of Ireland's recent portfolios of agriculture and rural development and then trade, Ursula von der Leyen's decision may leave us with a taste of humble pie, momentarily at least.

Be that as it may, if we observe with any humanity the world around us, especially the war on the EU's periphery, we see people crying out for democracy, justice and the rule of law like never before.

So, while Mr McGrath's portfolio may not be perceived to have the status and glamour of others, it probably has the greatest potential of all portfolios to radically improve the lives of many people both in and outside the EU.

Michael Gannon, Saint Thomas Square, Kilkenny

Ireland's turf fires hardly a concern compared with polluters around the globe Columnist Ian O'Doherty is spot on in his piece ('Lighting a turf fire in a pub won't destroy the planet, so save your guilt-tripping for the big boys,' Irish Independent, September 18).

However, the biggest polluters in the world, such as China, India, the US, Germany, Russia, Japan and Indonesia, are doing untold damage to the planet with their many coal- burning plants. China continues to open two new coalmines every week, causing massive pollution.

While the climate do-gooders tut-tut and attempt to shame rural Ireland about burning turf fires, they totally ignore the big polluting industries worldwide, like aviation, shipping, mining and oil production, among others.

The reality is that our little island with its turf fires doesn't move the needle one jot in global pollution terms, and until those vast countries with huge populations are persuaded to change their ways on the use of fossil fuels in the coming years, nothing we do in Ireland with regard to burning turf will make a blind bit of difference in the grand scale of things.

Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo

Leave the lazy stereotypes about Oasis fans in the past where they belong As a male Oasis fan in his mid-40s, I found Suzanne Harrington's characterisation of the Gallagher brothers and their fans as uncouth, knuckle-dragging types not so much enraging as just downright laughable ('Oasis are cultural dinosaurs who belong in the 90s – we should just leave them there', Irish Independent, September 19).

Indeed, if anyone is stuck in the 90s, it would appear to be Ms Harrington herself, with the cartoonish and hackneyed depiction of Oasis and their fans from that time, which she has sought to superimpose over the reality of both a quarter-of-a-century later.

For a start, Noel and Liam Gallagher were not frozen on the eve of the millennium, only to now thaw and emerge for this reunion tour. Oasis continued until 2009, and both brothers have enjoyed hugely successful solo careers since then.

I obviously can't speak for them, but I would hazard a guess that the pair have attitudes and outlooks in life that have changed over the course of 25 years.

Ms Harrington also seems to be unaware that this reunion is largely happening not to wrap older Oasis fans in the warmth and security of nostalgia's "comfort blanket", but to satisfy the overwhelming clamour from a new generation of fans.

She may also find herself surprised at the number of women who will be attending the reunion concerts next year and who have been at the brothers' solo gigs.

Above all, however, it doesn't appear to have occurred to her that maybe the millions of people – who decided for themselves that this group were something special – might want to simply enjoy Oasis for what they are – one of the greatest rock'n'roll bands of all time.

Enda McEvoy, Mountmellick, Co Laois

Ploughing provides such a lovely glimpse of rural life for all of us townies What a lovely by Roslyn Dee ('I went to a country show with the wrong attitude and the joke was on me – we should all aspire to be rural Ireland,' Independent.ie, September 19).

I've lived and worked in a city all my life, so I'm a proper townie.

I had reason to attend the National Ploughing Championships years ago as one of a sales team. It opened my eyes to rural Ireland and gave me a different perspective on rural living. I had a wonderful three days and met lots of wonderful people.

I would recommend it to any townie who would like to get a true picture of Ireland.

Noel Kelly, Marino, Dublin