Sir, - As long as one can remember Fr Joe McVeigh and his small group of republican clergy have opposed any agreement in Northern Ireland containing an element of compromise (July 1st).
It is therefore not surprising that Fr McVeigh has defended the decision of the GAA to retain Rule 21. His attack on Archbishop Dermot Clifford was especially distasteful and failed to take account of the strong public opinion on this side of the Border supporting the Archbishop's views.
If we are to start building a more tolerant society on the island of Ireland, compromise and gestures of goodwill must be made by groups on both sides of the religious and political divide. Fr Joe McVeigh, the Rev Ian Paisley and others who promote bigotry and intolerance in Northern Ireland, must step back now and allow the considerable middle-ground to work out a way of living together in peace with justice and respect for all shades of opinion. - Yours, etc., A. K. Kinsella,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.