Your Letters: Three cheers for Best, Barrymore and Curly; pounds 100

I READ with interest and also with horror three fascinating stories in the Irish Sunday Mirror about three of our best known sport and television personalities.

The stories about football legend George Best, show host Michael Barrymore and Coronation Street's Kevin Kennedy (alias Curly Watts) were each dramatic in their own way but all had one common denominator... alcohol.

George Best is back on the booze again despite being warned by doctors that one more could drink could mean the end for the former football genius. His wife Alex is doing her best, but at the end of the day George's future is all down to him.

Michael Barrymore is a more tragic case. He is another star who is too fond of alcohol. Whether you agree with it not, it has cost him happiness in that his live in 'husband' has left him.

And then on Saturday we learn that the body of a man was found in his swimming pool after a party.

Curly Watts has battled alcohol and although he has stopped, he will always face the fight against this dreaded disease.

Alcohol is a drug and a dangerous one. It has caught many a good person in its grip, including the aforementioned superstars.

Abstaining from alcohol isn't easy, but it's the only way forward if you want a better life, or indeed a life at all. Give it up George, Michael and co. You've everything to live for.

J Cunningham, Newry

Copyright 2001 MGN LTD
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.