Sir, - Kevin Myers' opinions on teaching the Irish language are his own, but he cannot be allowed to get his facts wrong. The words "bean" and its plural "mna" are not "wholly unrelated": both are derived from the Indo-European root gwena or gwuna (woman), from which also come the English words queen, gynaecology and zenana (a Persian harem) - Your, etc.,
Martyn Cornell, Albert Road, Twickenham, Middlesex.