Sex and the singleton

Sir, – Thank you for giving me such an enormous belly laugh (“The rise of the singleton has transformed Ireland”, August 11th).

Referencing complex census statistics, a mind-boggling bar chart and something called “the Swedish cycle”, David McWilliams expounds on a fact that every female that was ever born knows innately . . . men rarely marry women older than themselves.

Who would have predicted that? – Yours, etc,

ROSE BURKE,

READ SOME MORE

Ballinasloe,

Co Galway.

Sir, – I was left with a number of questions after reading the following statement by David McWilliams, “On reflection, when I go through my net of available single straight friends – and exclude the drunks, the gamblers, the eejits, the bankrupts, the libertines and the plain odd – there are very few “decent” men available. First, just what sort of company does Mr McWilliams keep? Second, I often wondered what constitutes a “decent” man today? Perhaps your readers might like to take up the mantle. – Yours, etc,

STEPHEN O’HARA,

Chaplain Coláiste Choilm,

Ballincollig, Co Cork.