Sir, – Having watched the RTÉ News, covering the attendance of An Taoiseach at the unveiling of a memorial to the late Gen Sean McEoin, (June 16th), and observed An Taoiseach’s “security people”, pushing “pro-life” protesters away from him, the media presence and, more importantly, the RTÉ cameras, it would appear to me that An Taoiseach and his “people” show much more respect to the dead than to those protecting the rights of the living. This exercise characterises the continuing bullying approach of this Government. If this happened in any other country, the people would be on the streets. Wake up Ireland! – Yours, etc,
CORMAC MEEHAN,
Main Street,
Bundoran, Co Donegal.
Sir, – The undignified behaviour of members of the Pro-life Movement in Ballinalee, Co Longford, on Sunday last, did neither themselves nor their cause any credit.
As citizens of a democratic state they undoubtedly have the right to peaceful and free expression of their views. But likewise the people of Ballinalee had the right to celebrate in a dignified manner their most famous son, Gen Sean MacEoin, a local and national hero. This right was denied them by the heckling and jeers of 200 protesters against government policy on abortion.
Whatever my own views on that issue, I find it very hard to have sympathy with a group which seems to think that its cause overrides all other considerations and allows it to ride roughshod over the results of a community’s hard work and the feelings of the MacEoin family members. – Yours, etc,
JANET M CATTERALL (Reverend Canon),
Church of Ireland Rector of Ballinalee,
The Belfry, Longford.