A chara, - Mr Justice O'Flaherty and Ulick O'Connor have responded to Garret FitzGerald's denigration of the late Cearbhall O Dalaigh.
Garret FitzGerald wanted to illustrate the point that experience in politics is a desirable qualification for the office of President of Ireland. However, to suggest that experience as Attorney-General, as Supreme Court Judge, as Chief Justice, and as a member of the European Court of Justice were inadequate qualifications is absurd. Cearbhall O Dalaigh combined his acclaimed legal career with an exuberant enthusiasm for language (especially the Irish language), for theatre and the arts, aspects of the man which did not seem to endear him to the then Taoiseach or to some of his Ministers.
The behaviour of Patrick Donegan in the officers' mess in the Curragh was a disgrace, as Mr Donegan himself realised. The refusal of Liam Cosgrave to formally apologise to the President was another disgrace. Liam Cosgrave's apparent concern was for his Minister, but we must assume that he also was irritated by the President's referral of legislation to the Supreme Court, as he was already irritated by the consequences of the Supreme Court's decision, when Cearbhall O Dalaigh was Chief Justice, that the then prevelant withholding of bail in certain circumstances was unconstitutional. At any rate, Mr Cosgrave's behaviour to President O Dalaigh amounted to an additional insult to the Head of State.
Comment, bordering on ridicule, about Cearbhall O Dalaigh, in an effort to assist Mary Banotti's canditature as the only presidential candidate with a political background is unworthy of Garret and must rate as a faux pas, to put it mildly.
It would have been wiser to be silent about Cearbhall O Dalaigh. Mary Banotti can do without such help. - Is mise,
Mullach Ide, Co Atha Cliath.