Sir,—Frank MacGabhann’s thoughtful letter highlighting historical absurdities in House of Guinness, which I reviewed (HI 34.1, Jan./Feb. 2026, pp 52–3), was most welcome. An apology is owed, as I was actually being as politely sarcastic as my editor would allow when I wrote about viewers being ‘edified’ by the objectionable ‘Fenian babe’ story line. Distorting the appearance and agency of female characters so that millennials today can relate to them is irritating, but ubiquitous in period drama. Indeed, the mere thought of visualising the Fenians in action is compelling, and here among many distortions which rattled us. We look forward to more such energetic reader reactions.—Yours etc.,
SYLVIE KLEINMAN