Sir, - Having recently read John Cooney's book on the late Archbishop McQuaid, I would like to take this opportunity to make a number of points on the subject.
I lived in the lodge of the archbishop's house in Killiney with my family for many years and as a boy served Mass for him daily for four years. In addition to this contact, the archbishop was a frequent visitor to our family home and remained a friend until his death in 1973.
In seeing Dr McQuaid almost daily for many years and in the many conversations we had subsequently, I always felt completely at ease in his company and never experienced even the slightest hint of any inappropriate behaviour on his part.
My impression of Dr McQuaid, then and now, is that he was a kindly and caring, if somewhat formal, man who would impress one with his gentleness of manner and quiet authority. I cannot be alone in this my impression of him.
In reading Mr Cooney's book I was struck by the fact that the testimony relating to allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour by Dr McQuaid is from anonymous and deceased sources. It appears to me that the author was selective in his sources of anecdotal evidence and this in my view represent an imbalance in a book which claims to be an accurate historical record. I find it strange that Mr Cooney did not contact me or any member of my family in relation to this book.
Many scandals in the Catholic Church have come to light in recent years and this has led to a climate in which any accusation of sexual misbehaviour become tenable. In my opinion Dr McQuaid has become a victim of this climate. The suggestions of inappropriate sexual behaviour by Archbishop McQuaid are at such odds with my knowledge of the man over many years spanning childhood to adulthood that I can give no credence to them whatsoever. - Yours, etc.,
P. McRedmond, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.