A woman of great renown

Sir, – I very much enjoyed Brendan McNamara’s article on Isabella Honan (An Irish Diary, November 2nd). As a child I often attended mass in the Honan chapel. I remember the plaque by the altar telling the congregation “of your duty” to pray for various Honans including Isabella.

It was unusual to see a woman mentioned on these kinds of plaques and I often wondered about her during longer sermons; I am glad to know a little more now. – Yours, etc,

Anne O’Mahony,

Phibsborough,

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Dublin 7.

Sir, – I refer to Brendan McNamara’s very interesting article about Isabella Hoban. He seems very surprised that it has taken so long to ascertain when Ms Hoban was born. And stranger – why did it take us so long to ask the question?

Answer: Because she was a woman. – Yours, etc,

Breege McGee,

Sybil Hill Road

Raheny,

Dublin 5.