Sir, - Fintan O'Toole found it difficult to see the connection between Conor Cruise O Brien's current political philosophy as perceived by the media and that of the Rev Ian Paisley (May 8th). It's relatively simple. They have both been consistent in their respective views throughout the present political troubles on this island. O'Toole rightly notes that O'Brien is the leading Irish Intellectual of his generation and concedes that it was O'Brien more than any other who forced a generation, fed on narrow Irish nationalism, to see the connections between violent rhetoric and violent actions.
While I share the frustration of many at Dr O'Brien's reactions to the current peace process, I nevertheless accept that his views are based upon finding a solution rooted in justice and not on finding a temporary solution for peace in our time. I understand the political gamble of the constitutional parties in Britain and Ireland to engage in dialogue with men of violence but it does not invalidate O'Brien's historical perspective of the dangers involved in such endeavours. As for the Rev Paisley, it is all too easy to dismiss his views as nonsense but we do him an injustice also. Judging by the revelations in the recently released Archbishop McQuaid papers, it seems that Home Rule was Rome Rule after all. The convergence of Rev Paisley's biblical philosophy and political rhetoric has a consistent honesty running through it no matter how unpalatable this may seem to people in the Republic. We in the Republic have learned from the past and shifted our positions but Dr O'Brien and Rev Paisley are trapped in a time warp. . - Yours, etc., Dr Vincent Kenny,
Knocklyon, Dublin 6