Sir, – In his column "Party leader who changed direction of Irish politics" (July 22nd) Stephen Collins states, "Jack Lynch fired Haughey and Neil Blaney for their involvement in a plot to import arms to give to the Provisional IRA".
The omission of the adjective “alleged” implies that their involvement in such a plot is a fact. This has never been proven. The case against Neil Blaney was dismissed for lack of evidence. The jury in the arms trial found Charles Haughey not guilty. Furthermore, as Michael Heney’s recent scholarly publication, The Arms Crisis of 1970. The Plot that Never Was, makes abundantly clear, the arms in question were not intended for the IRA.
– Yours, etc,
JAMES P SHANNON,
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Hacketstown, Co Carlow.