Dictionary corner

Sir, – On the basis that every day is a school day, might I commend your columnist Pat Leahy for his deft deployment of the word fissiparous in his recent column (“Dream of a left-wing government slipping away and not just because of Sinn Féin slump”, Opinion & Analysis, April 27th). It sent me scurrying straight to the dictionary. – Yours, etc,

BRIAN AHERN,

Clonsilla,