A chara, – Your radio reviewer Mick Heaney rightly draws attention to Áine Lawlor's discussion of the use of "ladies" for "women" in the GAA (Weekend,March 12th).
This use of "ladies" is twee, dated and an abuse of language. As Eric Partridge noted in Usage and Abusage: "Lady, which has a social – almost a Society – connotation, should not be used as a synonym for woman, any more than gentleman should be used as a synonym of man."
The Proclamation referred to Irish women not to Irish ladies. The official Irish language name for women’s Gaelic Football is Peil na mBan. This should become the official name of the sport in either language. The title is pithy, unusual in being composed of three monosyllables, and easily pronounced.
Monoglot English speakers have no problem with Cumann na mBan and Sliabh na mBan.
It would be an appropriate gesture by the GAA to the role of women in the Easter Rising.
– Beir beannacht,
PEADAR Mac MAGHNAIS
Baile Átha Cliath 5.