Sir, – Frank McNally's article on the origin and usage of "crack/craic" was most informative and it got me wondering about the partial demise of the term "gas" which had roughly the same meaning (An Irishman's Diary, May 16th. "We had great gas at the party" would be in common use and a funny character described as a "gas man".
This term may have been exclusive to Dubliners but it appears to have been gradually replaced in the 1970/1980s by the usurper. Fortunately the original can still be heard in Dublin and we can still have a “bit of gas” using it. – Yours etc,
PETER BRADY,
Sutton, Dublin 13.