Madam, - I refer to the letter from your correspondent, Ian Kelleher (Nov 2nd) in reply to mine (Oct 29th).
Let me make it abundantly clear to Mr Kelleher, I do not kow-tow to any person, be they clergy or layman nor do I ever intend to do so.
I further make no apology for referring to Bishop Walsh as "saintly". Bishop Eamonn Walsh is one (the only?) of the senior Irish churchmen who made no attempt to cover up the horrors of clerical abuse of youngsters, unlike so many of his fellow prelates.
I cannot imagine the personal agony which he must have suffered as the horrible tales of abuse unfolded. (See the Ferns Report). To him it must have been a vision of hell.
Bishop Walsh is the only Irish bishop to take up the case of the abused. Behind which door were the rest hiding when they were needed?
I again ask the question. Is it a worse crime to abuse a child or to know of such abuse and do nothing about it? - Yours, etc,
DERMOT HARTE, Mallow, Co Cork.