Sir, – It was uplifting to read of the rare and distinctive honour of a papal knighthood being bestowed on John Hume by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI (Home News, October 8th). Commander Hume (as he will now formally be known by the Holy See) proved that peaceful methods, and winning the intellectual argument, was the only true way to achieve civil rights in Northern Ireland.
Indeed, had the great efforts of Commander Hume and his allies not been hindered by the disastrous and counter-productive terrorist campaign waged by those (such as the so-called “Provisional IRA”, for example) who claimed to be pursuing a similar ultimate goal to him, we might today have a far less divided Northern Ireland, and perhaps even a united Ireland. – Yours, etc,