Sir, - Your correspondents representing "United Against Bigotry" (March 25th) suggest that there was misrepresentation in the report by The Irish Times of events at the Catholic Church at Harryville on March 15th. My comments on that occasion were reported in your paper, and I wish to make it clear that I am not an SDLP councillor. I am a parishioner. Like other parishioners, I understood from press reports before to that evening that these people were coming to express their support for our long suffering priests and people.
It quickly became obvious that this was not the case. They approached the church in procession, placards and banners flying. These banners and placards bore no reference to the Harryville situation. They read: "Protestants and Catholics Unite - Fight the Tories" and the banner read UNISON - SAVE THE MIDDLESEX (a reference to a London hospital).
Since then, UNISON (Northern Ireland) has issued a statement that these people did not represent UNISON. It says: "We wish to assure the parishioners that they did not represent us. That people should come to Northern Ireland under the guise of our banner, but for their own political purposes, is abhorrent to us".
I have no doubt that what we experienced was an attempt to exploit the media presence to achieve publicity for causes other than our right to worship in peace. The situation in Harryville remains particularly tense, as we contemplate the beginning of another marching season. The actions of "United Against Bigotry" in parading down Larne Street to the church, and demonstrating outside it, were indicative, of a profound lack of understanding of our situation, and caused fury among protesters standing on the opposite pavement.
We do not need any additional tension in a situation which has so far proved to be insoluble. Our sole wish is to go quietly to our church, without the presence of the 180 policemen needed to ensure access and protection. We wish to pray in peace, without the raucous chanting of The Sash and "We are the Billy Boys" ringing in our ears.
The Catholic people of Ballymena have behaved with dignity, courtesy and restraint over the long months of this protest. Your correspondents would have served our cause better had they come with a message of peace and reconciliation, rather than introducing political battles into our sad situation. - Yours, etc.,
Old Park Avenue,
Ballymena,
BT42 1AX.