Sir, - In "An Early Call to God" (The Irish Times, September 1st), we were treated to Rosita Boland's view of a young priest of the Church of Ireland. Ms Boland opined that we were not yet used to seeing women wearing dog-collars in this country. No, indeed. I did once see a woman in a dogcollar at a punk rock concert in Dublin's Dandelion Market. She was standing next to a man clad only in a black plastic sack and some zips.
I'm really surprised and annoyed to see the clerical collar referred to in this way in an otherwise sensitive and well-written article, although I have of course heard the unlovely expression before. I feel that Rosita Boland manages to offend priests, their families, members of the Church of Ireland, women, God and dogs all at once. - Yours, etc., Philip Jackson,
St Laurence Road,
Chapelizod,
Dublin 20.