Sir, – Frank McNally (An Irishman's Diary, March 23rd) notes the inclusion of the word "bockety" in a new supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary. He may be interested to know that when I worked as an engineer on Dublin Corporation direct labour sites in the early 1980s, there was a specific if unofficial grade of worker who looked after site compounds, made the tea, etc. This designation was "bockety man", invariably pronounced "bogedy". These workers acquired the designation as they were often unable to carry out manual labour due to earlier injuries or infirmities, this being prior to the arrival of workplace health and safety standards. – Yours, etc,
ADRIAN CONWAY,
Kilcloon,
Co Meath.