Sir, - Thank you for your continued coverage of my case and my ongoing campaign to restore my good name. In this case reporting clear facts is essential.
With reference to your Editorial of July 2nd which referred to an alleged admission on my part of association with members of the illegal republican group Saor Éire, I wish to state categorically the following:
During my Army service I did not know of the existence of any such organisation and I never knowingly associated with members of that organisation or any other subversive group. As stated in my interview with your reporter Joe Humphreys (June 24th) had I been so aware, I would have reported it.
It is also important to note that neither Commandant (Retd) Patrick Walshe nor I recall the name Saor Éire ever being mentioned during the course of our interrogations in 1969. In fact, the first time that I heard Saor Éire being raised in relation to myself was from the young woman in the car crash involving Commandant O'Kelly (Irish Times, June 29th). When she enquired as to why none of O'Kelly's passengers had turned up to support his claim against her, she was told that "a young officer had lost his commission because he was a member of Saor Éire."
It appears that this reference has been seized upon and is being run for what it is worth. Why it is being floated now and being linked with the brutal murder of Garda Richard Fallon (which occurred almost 10 months after my Presidential "retirement") appears to be an attempt to muddy the waters.
May I conclude by supporting the call by Garda Fallon's son, Finian, for the establishment of an independent inquiry into the murder of his late father, with powers to subpoena witnesses and documents. - Yours, etc.,
DÓNAL de RÓISTE, Inismhor Drive, Ballincollig, Co Cork.