Annie Murphy says Dr Casey should be allowed home

Dr Eamonn Casey should be supported in his desire to return to Ireland, Ms Annie Murphy said last night.

The mother of the former Bishop of Galway's son, Peter Murphy, speaking on the Network 2 talk show Later With Clare McKeown, also said she felt she was in part to blame for his having to leave the country.

Last night's programme featured four women who have had relationships with priests, including Ms Phyllis Hamilton, who claims she had a child with Father Michael Cleary, and Ms Olive Power and Ms Gail Grossman-Freyne, who are both married to former priests.

Describing her regret at the manner in which the story of her relationship with the former bishop was revealed, Ms Murphy said: "He suffered because of me."

She was grave as she spoke of the years since the story of her relationship broke.

"I have denied myself many feelings," she said, continuing that she wished she had not "said so much" and that the revelations had been handled in a "more dignified" way.

"When the book [Forbidden Fruit, by Annie Murphy] came out," she said she was giving air to "something very private".

"You're amazed at the bruises and self-doubt. The past six years have been difficult."

She was critical of Gay Byrne and his interview with her on The Late, Late Show, saying Mr Byrne's final comment - that if Peter would be "half the man his father is" he would be fine - "and he was so looking down at me . . . I just wanted to say I wasn't too bad myself. I just wanted it to end."

She said she had no regrets about her participation in the show but felt her relationship with her son "should have been left alone".

On her feelings for Dr Casey now, whom she referred to as Eamonn throughout, she said she feels "sadness".

"Eamonn was such a triumphant spirit, and I feel now he is a man without a country."

Ms Murphy, who came to Ireland last week to participate in last night's programme, has been holidaying in Co Kerry. "Going back to Kerry this weekend, I realised Ireland is some country. Kerry is beautiful. Dublin is beautiful . . . Eamonn must feel terribly alone."

She said she hoped whatever way Dr Casey wants to come back, "whenever he wants to come back" people will support him, "because I can do nothing".

Peter, now 24, is not with her on the trip. She described him as "pretty good" and coping with the situation well.

Of her future, Ms Murphy said she felt people "have certain gifts. You search for them."

She said she wanted to be a strong example to her son. "I am the only example he will have."

Plans for last night's programme had been in train for several months. One of the programme's researchers travelled to the US to meet Ms Murphy, "to convince her that it would not be an inquisition and that she would have a chance just to have her say," a researcher for Later With Clare McKeown said last night.

Dr Eamonn Casey, who is in England, announced in September that he would not be seeking any "public pastoral ministry in the church".

Ms Hamilton said when the story of the former bishop's relationship with Ms Murphy was revealed she felt "this is the end for us all". Father Cleary, who was on a golfing holiday when the story was first published, was "white" when he returned home.

Since his death, she said, she has had correspondence from people - "correspondence which . . . I didn't think it was possible for people to have such evil thoughts . . . "