Madam, - I note the considerable enthusiasm with which you greet (Editorial, July 19th) the Government's decision to seek official status for the Irish language - and thus to press the EU to translate for our benefit millions of words a year (no doubt on such fascinating subjects as the reorientation of European wine production, Commission regulations on international accounting standards or the latest findings of EU-funded research on large ship design and safety).
Given all this good will I presume we can shortly expect to see one edition a week of your own paper published entirely in Irish? Well perhaps not, but maybe one a month? One a year? No, I thought not.
I am reminded of Dickens's Mr Pecksniff, of whom his creator wrote: "Some people likened him to a direction-post, which is always telling the way to a place, and never goes there".
Those of a literary bent have since tended to call this ostentatious if fragile high-mindedness "Pecksniffery". And my De Bhaldraithe dictionary tells me there is a good Irish word for it, "fimínteacht". In plain English it's called hypocrisy. - Yours, etc.,
RAY CONNOLY, De Burgh Terrace, Dublin 7.
Madam, - Congratulations on your leader of July 19th. Your newspaper is certainly doing its bit for the language in its many excellent weekly features in Irish.
Would you consider doing one of the editorials in Irish - say on the first day of every month? - Yours, etc.,
SÉAN O CEALLAIGH, Castleknock, Dublin 15.