Sir, – The Minister for Transport Shane Ross launched an attack on Independent TD Mattie McGrath over the Road Traffic Bill, calling him an “out and out bollocks” (News, May 18th). I would like to vent spleen against a number of members of the Oireachtas but am unaware of what the plural of “bollocks” is. Anyone out there who can help? – Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.
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Sir, – Keith Duggan's witty article (Sideline Cut, Sports, May 19th) made its political and linguistic points clearly and entertainingly. But was the choice of "bollocks" rather than "bollix" your columnist's own or was that what Shane Ross – and John Waters – intended?
A significant difference. – Yours, etc,
MONICA NOLAN,
Knocklyon,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Fair play to Miriam Lord for dispensing with the asterisks ("Never mind the bollocks – what about the asterisks?", May 19th). Only for her I wouldn't know how many times the letter "l" occurs in b******s. – Yours, etc,
MATTIE LENNON,
Blessington,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Parliamentarians in the Republic use much more colourful language than their counterparts in the UK.
We have at the moment the Speaker of the Commons under investigation for allegedly referring to the Leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom, as “f***ing useless”.
Had he called her an “out and out bollocks”, heaven only knows where he would have ended up. – Yours, etc,
FRANK GREANEY,
Formby,
Liverpool,
England.