A chara — Many an Irish “pathriot” will be indebted to Desmond Fennell’s latest linguistic lessons (An Irishman’s Diary, February 28th). Adding a touch of Gaoth Dobhair to those barbaric English consonants D, T, R will gain a man instant entrée to the Élysée, the Wiener Staatsoper or a Milanese cafe. Yet a phrase such as “I’m an OTR” is better avoided in any language, even with the Donegal consonantal touch. And as for practising Fennell’s substitution of the Gaeltacht “ch” for that French or Spanish R, at Gatwick “I’m on dhe chun” will just land you in trouble. Safer to honour tradition with that mellifluous idiom “I’m on my keeping” – ar mo choimheád – and spare any sensitive foreign wincing, shudders or English alarms. – Is mise,
EDDIE FINNEGAN,
Wightman Road,
London.