Methodists urge GAA to drop rule

The president-designate of the Methodist Church in Ireland, the Rev David Kerr, has said he hopes the GAA will drop Rule 21 at its special conference tomorrow.

He said that, while he understood the historical context in which the rule came into being, time had moved on and preventing British security forces from becoming members was seen as sectarian by many Northern Protestants.

Mr Kerr, who becomes president of Irish Methodists on June 9th, is the fourth leader of Ireland's main Christian denominations to say the GAA should drop Rule 21.

Earlier this week Dr John Dixon, who becomes moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland on Monday, told The Irish Times he, too, would like to see the rule dropped.

In an interview earlier this month the Church of Ireland primate, Dr Robin Eames, said dropping the GAA rule would be a major step for good.

But perhaps most significantly, the Catholic primate, Dr Sean Brady, said "great good could come from such a decision". A former Cavan county footballer and former member of the GAA's central council, Dr Brady welcomed the decision to hold a special conference on the issue.

He said that interest shown in the proposal to drop the rule "from some unexpected quarters" revealed the idea might have greater potential to improve matters than imagined, and he hoped people might find it in their hearts to approve it.

Mr Kerr was speaking at a press conference in Belfast yesterday to announce details of the Methodist Church's forthcoming annual conference in Dublin.

A Council on Social Responsibility report calls on the Government to "fully implement the Refugee Act immediately and to provide adequate resources".

The same report describes the activities of the non-conscript Irish Army as "closer to the aim which Christians can support" for armed forces.