Sir, - Following Fintan O'Toole's excellent article on Dr Ivor Browne (January 11th) and the decision by the Medical Council to censure him - a decision which, to this lay person at any rate, seems, at the very least, to lack much logic - may I be allowed to add a few words of personal support for Dr. Browne?
During the summer of 1995, following the closure of the Irish Press, a group of us met to organise a fund raising event on free speech for the sorely pressed hardship fund of the NUJ Chapel at the paper, of which I was a member. Dr Browne had recently been at the centre of the Father Michael Cleary controversy, and we decided to invite him to participate as one of the speakers.
I put my request to him with the knowledge that the event would almost certainly prolong the controversy. However, Dr Browne discounted my reservations, along with his own wariness (and weariness) of further media exposure, and, generously, agreed to participate. His contribution was indeed riveting. It was also highly effective, and we made a tidy sum of badly needed money.
My purpose in writing this letter now is to acknowledge his patience, tolerance and good humour, as well as his personal integrity. And, if this is not presumptuous of me, I hope he knows how many of us are proud to think of ourselves as his friends. - Yours, etc.,
248 North Circular Road,
Phibsboro, Dublin 7.