Sir, – I had the very doubtful pleasure of hearing on the radio two spokespersons from Sinn Féin deliver their opinions as to the future of Cardinal Brady as leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland. I’m sure that it is no coincidence that both are of the same opinion, ie, that the cardinal should depart because he has lost his moral authority, a reasonable enough position, and well in line with general political opinion in the country. It is only when one considers the background of the particular holders of such views that one is forced to stand back a little and wonder where this new-found concern for the welfare of children is coming from.
The first speaker I heard was Mary Lou McDonald, deputy leader of Sinn Féin in Dáil Éireann. I have a very clear recollection of hearing her interviewed after the atrocity in Warrington some years ago which resulted in the deaths of two small boys. Despite the best efforts of the interviewer, Ms McDonald refused to condemn the actions of the perpetrators and has, to the best of my knowledge, maintained that position to this day.
The second speaker from Sinn Féin was Martin McGuinness, leader of the party in Northern Ireland, and former prominent member of the Provisional IRA. The level of his concern for the safety and welfare of children can be gauged from the activities of the IRA in Warrington, Enniskillen, the Abercorn restaurant and, not least, in the abduction and murder of a mother of 10 children.
It is difficult to avoid applying the word “hypocrite” in this context. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Martyn Turner, in his cartoon (May 4th), asks if the then Fr Seán Brady should have reported child sex abuse in 1975 to the police, judiciary, social services, parishioners or the public.
I would have thought that perhaps, before going to those lengths, he would have started with reporting the abuse to the children’s parents, whose addresses he was given by Brendan Boland. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I would like to respond to Bob Frewen’s comments (May 5th)contrasting the political outcry over Cardinal Brady’s alleged involvement in the effective silencing of children who were victims of rape and sexual abuse with what he perceives as the lack of a similar call for bankers’ heads to roll. He asks, “Am I missing something?”
He most certainly is. Those children did not choose to be raped and abused and were not consenting adults. Those who signed up for bloated loans were consenting adults. The bankers who lent the money were consenting adults, and the developers and private citizens who sold property at inflated prices they knew were excessive were also consenting adults.
To equate the sexual abuse of innocent children with bad financial decision-making certainly is missing the point. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Fr Bruno Mulvihill deserves recognition for his determination in defence of victims of Fr Brendan Smyth in the face of authority (“Priest risked church career to expose paedophile but concerns dismissed”, Home News, May 4th). I am proud of him. – Yours, etc,