I NOTE with interest Michael Gregson's proud boast about the growing strength of Gaelic media, with 530,000 regularly watching BBC Alba ("Big questions ahead for Bòrd na Gàidhlig", The Herald, April 18). The only reason so many people watch it is because the rugby and football that many non-Gaelic speakers want to watch is not available on an English language channel.
This is an incredibly contrived situation in an attempt to justify the large amount of money spent on a gaelic media channel for only 57,000 Gaelic speakers. If those sporting events were available on an English language channel I suspect the numbers would be a fraction of those boasted of by Mr Gregson.
Rob Smith, Stirling.
No rhyme nor reason
THEY say that art is in the eye of the beholder and after reading the “poem” by the Makar (“It’s an Essential work as Makar pens poem paying tribute to vital workers”, The Herald, April 17), I must conclude that similarly, poetry must also be in the ear of the beholder.
Having read it twice I just can’t fathom what Jackie Kay is on about. Random words and phrases with no obvious connection to each other, nothing even moderately rhyming and no discernible message just a jumble of joined-up letters that project .. .well, what exactly?
Anyway, I’m sure it’s just my lack of culture that’s the problem and that many people think it’s a top-class work worthy of praise ... or is it a classic case of the Emperor’s clothes?
James Martin, Bearsden.
Clap for the Queen
WHILST the Queen has cancelled her birthday gun salutes on Tuesday in view of the current Covid crisis ("Queen gun salute is off", the Herald, April 19), we should not let this get in the way of celebrating the day in her honour.
May I propose that we all go outside at 8pm on Tuesday and clap 94 times.
John Eoin Douglas, Edinburgh EH7.
The mating game
I ADVISE anyone encouraged that research has identified three chemicals with fruity floral scents as essential ingredients in the natural cologne lemurs use to attract a mate (“Fancy a bit of stink flirting? Fruity smells ‘make fruity lemurs’ in the mating season”, The Herald, April 17) that my youthful experiments with Fruit Pastilles were disappointing.
Later on, when affordable, boxed chocolates offered some promise; but the American humourist Ogden Nash was right that “candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker”.
R Russell Smith, Kilbirnie.
Longer racket
RE Margaret McIntyre’s letter (April 18) about Bud Neill’s tennis cartoon, my memory might be playing up after more than 60 years, but I had remembered it as the even more impressive: “Haw hen, here’s hoo Hoad hauds his”.
Stewart Logan, Bothwell.
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