Sir, - Returning to your letters page today for the first time in many years, I'm intrigued to find that some things never change. Your correspondent Daltun O'Ceallaigh (July 31st) refers to Garret FitzGerald as being among those "Southern liberals not renowned for their nationalism". Dr FitzGerald must by now have grown immune to this kind of mindless slur. What is unfortunate is that it bears out one's expectation that letters which begin "A Chara", conclude "Is mise", and are signed in the Irish version of a person's name, are more likely than not to express bigoted views. I look forward to the day when it isn't necessary to approach every letter which uses the first national language with such an expectation. - Yours, etc., Michael Byrne,Islington, London