In reference to Jerry Hoosier’s letter “Gaelic Dead and Buried,” (October 13-19) in which he addressed the Irish language in disparaging terms, I would like to make the following comments.

The word “gaol” is not a Gaelic word, although it may appear in some Irish/English dictionaries. There is no word for gaol or jail in Gaelic; it is simply a derivative of the word jail or, in old English, “gaol.” The commonly used word in Gaelic for the place of incarceration is priosun with an elongated letter “u.”

It is very surprising that Hoosier was not aware that the word gaol is old English, derived from early French. It was in use in the 10th century and maybe prior to that time.

The earliest usage that I am aware of was in reference to the famous Ilchester Tower in the county of Somerset which was used as a gaol from 1166 to 1843. 

The British also established Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin in the 1780, and a much later usage was Wilde’s second-last published work, The Ballad of Reading Gaol in 1898. Hoosier obviously never heard of that classic.

During the 1940s and 1950s, a student had the choice of attending a national school where Gaelic was taught as a subject with the study of poetry, articles, stories, etc. in the fine language, or to attend a school such as Colaiste Mhuire where most subjects were taught in Gaelic. I know — I was there!

Hoosier’s unpalatable attempt at humor is almost as repugnant as his angst against the Irish people.

Ronald Black. North Bergen, New Jersey.