Madam, - Lately I have noticed a strange linguistic phenomenon while watching sport on RTÉ. Our rugby panel of experts for televised matches consists of Tom McGurk, Brent Pope and George Hook. They always refer to players as "guys".
This is a recent development. You will hear lines such as, "Guys like Woody love this type of game", or "These Welsh guys will be no pushovers". This word never gets substituted. On Friday last before the Ireland Scotland game Mick Doyle and Ciaran Fitzgerald were discussing the upcoming game. They used the words guy or guys over 30 times.
In soccer parlance we have become used to "the boys". Jack, Mick and Brian invariably refer to "the boys" and their well-being or otherwise.
In our national games, though, we only have "men". You will hear Marty Morrissey or Ger Canning talk about how "the Galway men were on top but the Mayo men made a great comeback".
If the former presidents of the GAA have their way, Croke Park will only ever allow "men" on the pitch. The "guys" and the "boys" will have to remain on the stands. - Yours, etc.,
PAT BURKE-WALSH, Ryevale Lawns, Leixlip, Co Kildare.