Sir, – I was very interested to read Gerald O’Carroll’s account (June 5th) of how the boar came to be adopted into the Earl of Desmond’s coat of arms. But my understanding was that the boar was adopted as sign of the love between Thomas FitzGerald, the Fifth Earl of Desmond and Catherine MacCormac, given it was while hunting boars that Thomas first met Catherine at her father’s house where he received hospitality.
As Catherine was from a Gaelic family their marriage resulted in Thomas losing his title and lands to his uncle as he had violated the Statute of Kilkenny and in 1418 they left for France where Thomas died in 1420 and his funeral was attended by both the King of England and the King of France. – Yours, etc,
DESMOND FitzGERALD,
Canary Wharf,
London,
England.