Striking wrong note for a solemn occasion

DURING the removal of Charles Haughey’s remains on June 15, an RTÉ commentator had occasion to pronounce — or brutally mispronounce — some words in Irish.

Cumann na mBan became ‘Cumann na Man’ and Cearbhall Ó Dalaigh became ‘Caroll O’Dolligh’.

These are the only two that sank in — there might have been more, but I was in a mild state of shock that someone with such pronunciation would be left loose on the national airwaves that I might have missed them.

If people wish to preserve the Irish language, surely decent pronunciation is one of the first steps.

Helen Gordon

Bardinchy

Coolea

Co Cork