GABRIEL BYRNE,
Sir, - I read Don Mullan's article about the former Irish Army Lieutenant Donal de Róiste (News Features, May 25th) with sadness and outrage.
Of what is this man guilty? Is the Irish State covering up for a high ranking military bully who, as Mr de Róiste's 83-year-old mother suggests (May 20th), may have misled the Government which, in turn, wrongly advised President de Valera?
One cannot but be impressed by Donal de Róiste's fearless and determined effort to clear his name. If the man had skeletons to hide regarding his "retirement" from the Army in 1969, would he risk the good name of his family and, in particular, his sister Adi?
I too believe he is innocent and am a patron of the newly established US campaign to clear his name, headed by his adult children, Dara and Sinéad. It is a campaign growing in intensity by the day. We believe that not only Mr de Róiste but the public deserve some honest answers.
I appeal to An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, to release Donal de Róiste's files. It will be nothing short of scandalous if the Irish State allows Christina de Róiste to die without seeing her son given the opportunity to clear his name. - Yours, etc.,
GABRIEL BYRNE,
West 51st Street,
New York,
USA.