Sir, - The Irish Times is to be commended on its fine report "Scotland & Ireland" published on November 30th. The attention paid to the Scottish Gaelic language and culture was particularly welcome.
However, the erroneous notion that Donegal Irish-speakers somehow find Lewis Gaelic more comprehensible than Kerry Irish must (pace Owen Dudley Edwards) be firmly laid to rest. That two separate, albeit closely related, languages have been recognisable as long ago as the 13th century is borne out by the Four Masters' report of Domhnall Og O Domhnaill addressing O'Neill's envoys in that era "tria san nGaoidhilcc nAlbanaigh". - Yours, etc.,
Seosamh Watson, Professor of Modern Irish, University College Dublin