Sir, – Frank McNally in his Irishman’s Diary (July 25th) raises the issue of verbal idiosyncrasies, having been prompted by the Westmeath farmer, on whose land axe-heads were found, saying “They’re horrid happy over this whole discovery”. Reading this, I recalled my father, who was a Cavan man, often telling the story of his father’s neighbour rambling to their house and being asked by my grandfather how good the new potatoes were that he had been digging that day. His neighbour Joe replied: “The size is not too bad, Willie, but they’re wicked seldom.”
My father himself often responded to news of a fantastic happening or an amazing new discovery by saying, “And they say there’s no bone in liver.” – Yours, etc,
NOEL SHANAGHY,
Faithlegg,
The welcome I received from Jennifer Johnston is something I will never forget
Oscars 2026: Will Hamnet with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley get a best picture nomination?
‘My son is getting married in the summer, and the likelihood is that I’m going to be able to see that’
Is it true that women need more sleep each night than men?
Co Waterford.
