Every week, The Irish Post receives dozens of handwritten letters and hundreds of emails with submissions to the Letters page.
Readers are invited to share their thoughts on a vast range of topics from news and politics to the big issues facing the Irish in Britain, and in general, they don't hold back.
However, in the print issue out this week and dated October 1, one letter particularly stood out.
Written by Charles Cuthbert Carruthers, the message came via email and proposes that The BBC should take control of two of Ireland's major TV stations – the national TV and radio broadcaster RTÉ and its rival station TV3.
The letter begins: "I read recently of TV3’s proposal to join up with RTÉ to form a joint channel for the Irish Diaspora and it reminded me of a visit I made to Ireland some time back, when I noticed how much interest the Irish had in matters English and how much the Irish broadcast media took in broadcasting English TV programmes."
The writer goes on to speak about the appeal of shows like Coronation Street, EastEnders and Big Brother in both Ireland and Britain.
"The BBC has much more resources and experience to provide an effective TV coverage than either RTÉ or TV3. Their broadcasts could then be picked up right across the whole of the British Isles", Carruthers suggests.
"The game of cricket could also be encouraged throughout Ireland which, in my view would have a great unifying effect on both countries," he writes.
The letter also makes reference to Ireland's fondness for The Queen, which is where some may begin to suspect the writer could be taking the proverbial...
Read the letter in full here and see what you think...
I read recently of TV3’s proposal to join up with RTÉ to form a joint channel for the Irish Diaspora and it reminded me of a visit I made to Ireland some time back, when I noticed how much interest the Irish had in matters English and how much the Irish broadcast media took in broadcasting English TV programmes.
Coronation Street, East Enders, Big Brother, are but a few, not to mention our English Premier football league. Alos, aside from the above, I was delighted to encounter the great admiration and affection the Irish had for our sovereign lady, The Queen.
But regarding TV3's proposal in particular, I would suggest that the BBC should take over both these stations. The BBC has much more resources and experience to provide an effective TV coverage than either RTÉ or TV3. Their broadcasts could then be picked up right across the whole of the British Isles.
Their transmissions would also be free, as there would be no need to subscribe to a digital platform, which is the current situation in Ireland. Not only would the BBC be equipped to take on this task, but us English would also benefit from the Irish input.
There is that wonderful Irish game of shinty, or hurling, as it is called in Ireland, not to mention the Irish Aussie Rules type football - the broadcasting of these games in Britain, in my view, would have a great appeal to an English audience.
The BBC could tailor programmes to encourage Ireland to reunite back into Britain.
The game of cricket could also be encouraged throughout Ireland which, in my view would have a great unifying effect on both countries.
Yes, I found a great thirst in Ireland for our English ways. I feel the time is now ripe for our two islands to reunite and our BBC could play a pivotal role in that regard.
