Sir, - My father was gassed in the battle of the Somme and on returning to civilian life he later contracted tuberculosis which consumed him for 30 years. During the War of Independence and the Civil War he was physically assaulted on a regular basis because he had believed and followed Redmond - by the Black and Tans, by an illiterate but encouraged peasantry. Despite his disabilities he constantly sought work, but bigotry in a provincial town, except for one family, denied that right. Yet he courageously paraded and wore his poppy every year and on Armistice Day I attend St Patrick's Cathedral and proudly wear that poppy on his behalf and on behalf of those Irish who sacrificed themselves for us in the first World War.
I did not vote for President McAleese because of her origin and her known support for the beliefs, the allegiances and the political objectives of a minority section of the Northern Ireland community. However, I was very impressed by the dignity of her address at the Peace Park at Messen when, as President of the Republic, she honoured Redmond's men who gave their all for the promised Home Rule. For 20 years one man has publicly applauded and honoured the memory of those men. At the beginning he was not thanked. At times he was reviled. But he kept fanning the flame of obliterated memory and he shook the tree of knowledge until he dislodged the thorns of bigotry, hate and shame. His perseverance made possible the presidential presence and her address of recognition and gratitude. He was not even mentioned, let alone publicly thanked. The Costelloe family from Ennis, Co Clare, remember and will be forever in his debt. As the last of them I proudly salute Kevin Myers. - Yours, etc., Micheal Mac Coisdealbh,
Upper Kilmacud Road, Goatstown, Dublin 14.