A Chara, – On Saturday morning just as I’d boarded the Cork-Dublin train, I witnessed a family group of two adults and two teenagers move an elderly couple out of a seat, charmlessly explaining that they had booked it in advance.
While the couple were the ones who had made the mistake, the family were most cold and unfriendly, offering little by way of apology or any assistance whatsoever in finding the couple another seat. That task was left to me, and I was very relieved to be able to assist them to an alternative spot.
This was a rough start to the day, but I comforted myself by remembering that this level of disregard is actually rare to encounter when travelling by train. However, things were about to get a lot worse.
I observed the family group spend their journey reading the Irish Times Weekend from cover to cover, going as far as completing at least one crossword.
Chris O’Dowd: ‘In Hollywood we felt very disconnected, very far away’
Gerry Thornley: Scotland’s desperation to end losing run will put Ireland to the test
Patrick Honohan: Ireland is more exposed to Trump’s tariff war than any other European country
Joanne McNally: ‘Valentine’s Day is a show-and-tell of successful relationships. It’s Crufts for couples’
The horrible realisation hit me that even Irish Times readers can have absolutely no manners. – Is mise le meas,
EMMA VERLING,
Corcaigh.
