Sir, – I have travelled for 10 years in a bus much used by pupils of Gaelscoileanna. Never once did I hear the pupils speak Irish amongst themselves, even though they were all fluent in the language. I like the Gaelic language, and have attended evening classes in an effort to improve my cúpla focail. I have been watching Rugby Beo on TG4 for years and still don't know the Gaelic for try.
The campaign to restore Irish will never succeed in replacing the great international language of English, but maybe we can all become more bilingual, with everyday use of cúpla focail. Ross O’Carroll Kelly could lead the way in Dublin 4. – Yours, etc, MICHAEL DOYLE Monkstown Valley, Co Dublin.