I have a good friend called Michael and sometimes I call him MÃcheál and I have got into the habit of calling my son Michael MÃcheál affectionately from time to time also.
In recent days, Daniel has started coming up to me and saying anxiously “Daniel MÃcheál!”. I have tried to comfort him by telling him he is Dónal which is the Irish for Daniel or Danny Boy which is friendly but he’s having none of it; “Daniel MÃcheál!” he insists. His sister has, however, decided that the boy suffix is a good one and she now calls her other brother MÃcheál Boy which shows that she really is from Cork.
While I’m talking about slang may I thank those who enlightened me on Australian slang – bonza sheilas.
