Sir, - Mary Gallagher's warm and generous tribute to Bishop Eamonn Casey (The Irish Times May 13th) brings to mind our human tendency to bury a man's good deeds with his bones. Long before his elevation to the hierarchy, he tended unselfishly to the needs of the sick and afflicted who sought solace and help at the Shrine of Lourdes. He spared no ounce of his bountiful energy in the service of his less fortunate compatriots, especially in England, as so eloquently described by Ms Gallagher.
He was energetic and compassionate and lit the way for many who might otherwise have gone astray. Being but human, he too fell by the wayside and has paid dearly for his folly. To be exiled in a foreign place is a severe burden for anyone. How much more so for him who has ascended the pinnacle of fame and acceptance in his own land. Enough is enough. He has done more good than most men I know, and deserves the benefit of our vaunted Christian charity. Let Irish people not bewail the harshness of his treatment - as we did with Parnell - after he is gone. - Yours, etc., Frank Durkan,
New York, USA.