Madam, - Seen in the context of the Year of Vocation, your report of November 17th on Killarney's belated recognition of the outstanding achievements of its native son Msgr Hugh O'Flaherty serves as another useful reminder of the great and heroic past and present contribution of Irish priests to humanitarian causes.
For those of us present for the occasion, the weekend's celebrations, presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio, the Bishop of Kerry and the Ceann Comhairle, were a fitting start to creating a far greater acknowledgement of a heroic Irishman.
May I suggest that, as part of a wider national and international promotion of Msgr O'Flaherty's humanitarian spirit, An Post should issue a special stamp in his honour? This could well be done as a joint issue with some of the countries that have already honoured Msgr O'Flaherty's selfless dedication to his fellow human beings, especially his tireless work in saving the lives of so many Jews.
Linking in with a current Letters page theme, there can be no doubt that he had the wholehearted backing of Pius XII for his courageous endeavours. - Yours, etc,
ALAN WHELAN,
Beaufort,
Killarney,
Co Kerry.