Madam, - I would like to draw your readers' attention to inaccurate references to the first family of James Pearse, father of Patrick Pearse, in an otherwise interesting and informative piece by James Fitzgerald on the new exhibition in the Pearse Museum, formerly St Enda's, Rathfarnham (The Irish Times, December 30th).

James Pearse had in fact two surviving children from his first marriage, Emily and James Vincent and not "two extra daughters by his first wife".

James Vincent was my grandfather. I was a frequent visitor to St Enda's and spent my holidays there in the 1940s with Patrick Pearse's sister Senator Margaret Pearse, my godmother. Both Emily's and James's relatives will no doubt be pleased to realise that their family has been "discovered". For my own part, I have been an active participant in Pearse commemorative events since the 1950s.

Pat Cooke and the staff at the Pearse Museum involved with the new exhibition have done some fine work and deserve our thanks for their restorative efforts, including extending public knowledge of the first family of James Pearse. I recommend that those interested in this period of Irish history should visit the museum. Incidentally, the photograph of James Vincent Pearse exhibited is derived from an original supplied by myself, and to my knowledge, the only photograph of my grandfather now available. - Yours, etc.,

HENRY NOEL SCARLETT, Drapier Green, Wadelai, Dublin 11.