Sir, – Patsy McGarry reports that there would be no official Irish (Government) presence at the canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman ("No official Irish presence at Cardinal Newman canonisation", News, October 7th). It is unfathomable. John Henry Newman, an important figure in the history of education in this country, was the first rector and president of the Catholic University, forerunner of UCD. My grandfather graduated in medicine from there 1881 and he and many like him had reason to be grateful to Newman who, having been invited by Archbishop Cullen to establish the university (in opposition the Queens' Colleges), was subsequently snubbed by him. Is this another case of political correctness gone mad, such a the banning of Christmas cribs in public hospitals and the like? Despite his departure from the Anglican Church, Britain is being represented by no less a personage than Prince Charles. – Yours, etc,
MARION WALSH,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
A chara, – Newman was the founder of what later became UCD. Many UCD graduates like myself find it surprising and regrettable that UCD has no plans to celebrate the event and the great honour that is being given to the university’s founder. – Yours, etc,
CIARÁN MAC GUIL,
Clichy,
France.