Sir, – May I commend Aidan Dunne's informative article on the unusual and enigmatic life of Roger Casement, which is currently commemorated in Sir John Lavery's arresting portrait of this longtime expatriate, who, among other things, engaged in spectacular humanitarian work in the Belgian Congo of his time and also in Peru ("The blank canvas of Roger Casement's life", June 9th). The patriot is now on show in the Hugh Lane gallery in Dublin, together with two short films on Casement (Our Kind by Alan Phelan and The Humanizer by Simon Fujiwara).
I once knew an Irish Franciscan friar who was a friend of Casement in Peru and who could not praise enough Casement’s self-sacrifice as a champion of the downtrodden indigenous workers in the rubber trade in Peru.
Aidan Dunne writes: “It is hard to overestimate the importance of his humanitarian work. His detailed, exhaustive reports gave voice to those who were never heard: the abused and enslaved.”
Incidentally, Dunne describes Casement as an “Ulster Protestant”. This is potentially true. However, Casement became a Catholic in later life, for whatever reason! – Yours, etc,
TOM STACK,
Milltown,
Dublin 6.