Sir, - I read with astonishment the review by Anthony Clare of Prof McCartney's splendid and dispassionate history of UCD (Books, December 18th). In the course of his dismissive diatribe, Clare claims that my late father, Dr Michael Tierney, and the late Archbishop of Dublin, Dr McQuaid, were "two massive hate figures". It seems to be quite the fashion nowadays to engender hatred against long-dead public figures. At any rate, it appears that Dr Clare numbers himself among those who feel hatred for my late father and his achievements.
Hatred is a dangerous emotion for anyone, not least psychiatrists, to indulge in or encourage. In this instance it is, moreover, deeply distressing and hurtful for the surviving members of Dr Tierney's family who loved and revered him. Your reviewer's palpable bias contrasts markedly with the very handsome tribute which your newspaper paid my late father in its Editorial of Wednesday, December 21st, 1988, from which, for your readers' benefit, I take the liberty of quoting:
"Time has vindicated Michael Tierney and confounded his critics. The Belfield campus has flowered, with amenities and resources on a scale which would not have been possible at Earlsfort Terrace. Nor has UCD's academic reputation been other than enhanced over the two decades since its move. New departments, new specialisations have come in great numbers and at high standards of academic excellence." - Yours, etc., Martin Tierney,
Marlborough Road, Glenageary, Co Dublin.