Madam, – I was surprised at Miriam Lord’s need to insert a “sic” clause in her “Noonan the brave” piece today, to comment Michael Noonan’s use of the term “Boodeyman” (Dáil Sketch, June 8th). I come from an adjoining county to Michael Noonan, ie, Tipperary, and there, in my childhood, that sinister personality was also referred to as “The Boodeyman”.
Over the years I had been led to believe that the term evolved from a reference to “Bonaparte” (as in Napoleon Bonaparte) from the Napoleonic war period and which was used to frighten young children; this gave rise to other contractions such as ” Bogeyman” and “Boneyman” which are widely used elsewhere. Is this so?
– Yours, etc,