Madam, - Louis Hogan (January 4th) complains about RTÉ presenters pronouncing "Portlaoise without the final syllable". He implies that you should pronounce it with an "eh" at the end. He is incorrect.
In Irish it is correct to pronounce the "eh" as the ending is the tuiseal ginideach (genitive case) of "Laois", but it has become common practice not to pronounce the "eh" in English. I Most people who live in Portlaoise pronounce it without the "eh" when speaking in English.
I am an 18-year-old who has lived in Portlaoise all my life. None of my friends, schoolmates, teammates (both soccer and GAA) nor relations pronounces the "eh" when speaking in English. - Is mise,
CONOR FINGLETON, Bóthar Maighean Reatha, Port Laoise.