A chara, – Tony Carlin (March 12th) raises the question of an interloping W in pronunciation of Fine Gael. Fine Gael is of course an Irish-language name. In natural Gaeltacht speech, a broad, or non-lenited, G is pronounced with a very slight W sound as it is pronounced at the back of the throat. English-speakers apparently find this sound hard to imitate, and either leave it out or exaggerate it. Personally I think the exaggeration is a better attempt to imitate the real sound.
Incidentally, Mr Carlin hears people pronounce Fine as Feenah. The sound should be a short I as in bit: thus, Fina G’ael. – Is mise,
EOIN Ó MURCHÚ,
Ascaill Ghleanntáin na hAbhann,
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Cluain Dolcáin,
Baile Átha Cliath 22.