Sir, – Ronan O’Brien (“Redmond’s role in story of State should be recognised”, July 21st) describes “a constitutional triumvirate that dominated Irish politics for a century”.
Really it was a string quartet, and one with an obvious first violin. Sure, O'Connell, Parnell and Redmond were the most significant politicians. But there was also ecclesiastical dominance, personified in particular by Cardinal Paul Cullen (1852-78).
The Catholic bishops were on the happy side of every election in Ireland from 1832 until 1880, including 1859, when they backed the British Conservative Party then led by the Earl of Derby and Benjamin Disraeli. – Yours, etc,
PAUL HICKEY,
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Gamehill,
Castlecoote,
Co Roscommon