Sir, – Diarmaid Ferriter writes that Flann O’Brien wrote satirically in 1941 about the Public Dance Halls Act, noting the demand of some district justices that céilí be promoted: “they believe that Stan with all his guile is baffled by a four-hand reel and cannot make head nor tail of the Rakes of Mallow” (Opinion & Analysis, September 30th).
I assumed that Stan was a glorious misprint of Satan but it is always possible that Flann was up to his usual tricks with words and names. – Yours, etc,
JACK MONTGOMERY,
Dundalk,
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Co Louth.