A chara, – I enjoyed Emer McLysaght’s reminiscences of visiting family in the North (“When the soldiers boarded the bus I wasn’t afraid, I was buzzing”, Arts & Ideas, 11 August), but I don’t know why she lists “Gee whizz!” among the “relative exoticisms” she picked up there.
In all my years growing up and working there, the only time I encountered that phrase was reading it in American comics. Northern? Aye, right! – Is mise,
JOE McLAUGHLIN,
Bonnyrigg,
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Midlothian,
Scotland.
Sir, – Top marks to Emer McLysaght for her thoughtful and interesting article on Northern turns of phrase. She’s doing rightly! – Yours, etc,
MARY BYRNE,
Dublin 8.