Letters: RTÉ’s ‘Leathered’ documentary on corporal punishment brought up some painful memories

I was reasonably proficient in the subjects and was smart enough in keeping my nose clean, so I did not personally endure the worst of this abuse. It was seeing other boys frequently being beaten well beyond the point of tolerance, and trying ­desperately to save face by not betraying the level of distress they were in, that has stayed with me to this day.

Day in, day out, they came to school sick with fear, a fear that was often realised and the prevailing societal view was that this was acceptable.

One minister described it as the "Christian ethic in education".

This consensus was typified by The Evening Press.

It carried a column called "Ask the Experts", which addressed readers' queries. One enquiry (I often wondered whether it was genuine) was from a "mother" who wanted to know where she could purchase a school leather as she was no longer able to control her children with the cane.

The reply told her where she could obtain an instrument that would inflict "the maximum of punishment with the minimum of effort".

Sadly, the Brothers never left anything to chance. They always used the maximum of effort.

Sean O Donnell, Dalkey, Co Dublin

Religious animosity likely to hinder any hope of a ceasefire in Middle East When Anthony Costello wrote that "Hezbollah and Hamas will continue to attack Israel with rockets and drones as long as Iran supplies and encourages such attacks" (Letters, November 4), he failed to mention how long-standing religious animosity is tragically playing a major role in keeping the conflict between Israel and its neighbours going on and on.

Israel's great success in knocking out most of the leadership of both Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as severely damaging their military capabilities, would in a normal political war have meant total victory for Israel.

But the religious animosity between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah is likely to hammer any real effort to bring about a long-term ceasefire, even if Iran stops supplying rockets and arms to Hamas and Hezbollah.

A low-level campaign of tit-for-tat shootings and counter-shootings, similar to what happened in Northern Ireland for many years, is likely to lie in store.

If only one could wave a great magic wand to stop religion from stoking the flames of violence in the "Holy Land", so as to permit all the people living there to prosper in peace.

But the only practical hope, I suspect, is to find a few influential brave people who are dedicated to peace-making and who will volunteer freely to act quietly as go-betweens between Israel and its neighbours.

This is something that happened in the North in the 1980s and which eventually led to the peace process.

Sean O'Brien, Kilrush, Co Clare

Attacks on our politicians are craven and go against everything we stand for I was saddened to learn of the recent assault of the Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman while canvassing in his local community.

I find it profoundly troubling to learn of the exponential rise in abuse and threats that our politicians seem to face on a daily basis. I believe that misinformation on social media is driving a certain cohort to perpetrate these egregious assaults.

I love politics and the discourse that goes with it. If certain members of the public are unhappy with our public representatives, why not put their own names forward to be politicians?

To violently attack a public representative is craven, spineless and cowardly. It's accepted that we all can have a lively engagement with our politicians without having to resort to violence. I find politicians, by and large, love to engage with the electorate, especially when the discourse is undergirded and buttressed with respect and courteousness.

The democratic process is sacrosanct in this country and I think violence, threats and abuse belie what we stand for as a nation.

John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary

Trump's quip about 'fake news' journalists being shot must be condemned At a rally in Pennsylvania, ex-president Donald Trump said: "To get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don't mind that so much."

This was followed by laughter instead of condemnation.

So often, there are reports of journalists being killed, including well over 100 in the current Israel-Gaza war. ​

Why are journalists killed? It is rarely accidental, even in wars. It occurs because they tell the truth and people don't want to hear that or allow others to.

Donald Trump must support free and independent journalism, but he doesn't. Why not?

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

Long road ahead for the US – here's hoping it leads to peace and prosperity As America goes to the polls, the actor Tom Hanks divulged to host Stephen Colbert on The Late Show recently that the entire section in the film Forrest Gump where Forrest runs across America almost didn't make it to the screen.

"Some studio exec always comes up and says, 'it's not going to work. You can't do it, it's not going to work. We don't see the point in it. Why shoot that?'" Hanks said.

But the film's director, Robert Zemeckis, and Hanks said: "Let's knock money out of our salary and we will pay for it ourselves."

That's exactly what they did and the montage stayed in.

From the Rocky Mountains to Appalachia, let's hope our US friends vote with their hearts and minds today to keep America on the road to peace and prosperity.

Tom McElligott , Listowel, Co Kerry

Maybe new Tory leader is a good omen that a woman will soon sit in Oval Office Now that the Conservative Party in the UK has elected its first black ­leader, in Kemi Badenoch, perhaps this is a good omen that the United States will follow suit and elect its first female black president in ­Kamala Harris today.

Richard Whitty, Swords, Co Dublin