Sir, - Whatever its provenance, O'Meara is not exclusively an Irish name. If there are Americans with that name, then it is also an American name. The same goes for names like Cahill (Cayhill), Purcell (Pur-sell), O'Shaughnessy (O'Shawnessy), Leahy (Leehigh) and Mahoney (Ma-hown-y).
It just crosses my mind: do any of the people of Dorset (Dorsett), or Westmoreland (West-Mowerland) feel as aggrieved about the way Dubliners pronounce the name of their regions as Mr Breathnach (October 31st) does about the pronunciation of the name O'Meara by one of its owners? I'm only asking! - Yours, etc., James Carroll,
Harold's Cross Road,
Terenure,
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Dublin 6W.