11 APRIL 1992, Page 27

Pronunciation Eire

Sir: Noel Malcolm ('The end of geography', 14 March) correctly observes that English people do not say Suomi (Finland) or Shqiperi (Albania). Why do so many persist in referring to Ireland as 'Eire'? Eire fur- ther becomes mispronounced as 'era', 'air- ah', and even 'eerie'. Your western 'British Isle' is Ireland, north and south, a geo- graphically correct unit, politically split, but universally English-speaking. Almost none of us refer to the isle as 'Eire'.

Denis Fill

8 Tivoli Close, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin