Madam, - I read with interest Brendan Ó Cathaoir's piece on the publication by Oxford University Press of the third and final volume of The Writings of Theobald Wolfe Tone (An Irishman's Diary, March 10th).
However, I believe your readers should know that not every serious student of Tone's life and times is convinced that he committed suicide.
C. Desmond Greaves has pointed out that Tone died in military custody after a court martial in Dublin when the ordinary courts were sitting, and while attempts were being made to serve a writ of habeas corpus on his captors.
Apparently it was highly irregular for courts martial to sentence prisoners to death when the ordinary courts were sitting. It is unlikely that Tone, a barrister, would have been unaware of this. Might I ask if an inquest was held on Tone? - Yours, etc,
DONAL KENNEDY,
London N13.