Madam, - Yes, as Michael McCabe points out (May 15th) many leading Irish political ladies are called Mary, but surely this is a phenomenon not to be repeated. Fewer than one in 500 parents in today's Ireland give Mary as a first name to their daughters.
Once the most popular name among Irish parents, Mary has endured a steady, sharp decline in popularity. Is it coincidental that this decline has been mirrored by a fall-off in church attendance, a denigrating of the Virgin Mary's role and the lessening of the culture of Catholicism that once enveloped Ireland?
The names we give our children hold deep cultural significance. There has been a definite drift away from Catholic names and Irish names that are religious; cheerful celebrity names, such as Kim and Angelina, now hold dominance.
How will future anthropologists view this trend of opting for celebrity names while leaving time-honoured names like Maureen and Breda to perish. A denial of heritage? - Yours, etc,
MARY O'REGAN, Firgrove Drive, Bishopstown, Cork.