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Sir,
- We, the undersigned journalists, writers and broadcasters,
wish to express our concern at the dismissal of Tomás
Ó Dulaing, head of the Irish-language primary
school Gaelscoil Tulach na nÓg in Dunboyne,
Co Meath.
Mr
Ó Dulaing was dismissed because of his stance
on the teaching of religion, and the protection of
the minority of Church of Ireland children in his
school. The school is inter-denominational. The agreed
religion classes in the school taught those aspects
of doctrine which the Catholic Church and the Church
of Ireland hold in common. Catholic children were
prepared for sacraments in special classes,
immediately after school.
This
reasonable arrangement was not acceptable to An Foras
Patrúnachta, which acts as patron of Irish-language
schools in the Republic. While over 80 per cent of
parents support Mr Ó Dulaing, the school's
Board of Management has sacked him. His trade union,
the INTO, strongly supports him.
We
believe this case is very important. We hold that
Mr Ó Dulaing has been dismissed due to his
stance in defending a religious minority. He is appealing
to An Foras Patrúnachta on June 29th and we
ask it to uphold his appeal. This dismissal has too
many echoes of the religious obscurantism of the past.
Mr Ó Dulaing stands for an Ireland that is
a multicultural society, welcoming to all its people.
-
Yours, etc.,
ANTON McCABE, (Journalist, Omagh);
MICK
BROWN, (Journalist, Belfast);
Dr MANAS Ó BAOILL (writer, Newcastle);
DARACH McDONALD, (journalist, Omagh);
ADRIAN MULLAN, (Journalist, Omagh);
IAN MALCOLM, (Journalist, Lurgan);
EAMONN McCANN, (Journalist and Writer, Derry);
GORETTI HORGAN, (Writer/ Broadcaster, Derry);
COLIN DEVINE, (Journalist, Belfast);
Dr EMMET O'CONNOR, (Writer and Historian, Derry);
DAVE DUGGAN, (Writer and Director, Derry);
PADDY HUNTER, (Journalist, Omagh);
FRANK GALLIGAN, (Broadcaster and Poet, Derry);
PATRICK SMYTH, (Journalist, Washington, USA);
JENNIFER JOHNSTON, (Novelist, Derry);
LIZ CURTIS, (Writer, Belfast);
JOHN McATEER, (Journalist, Milford);
ANTHONY McINTYRE, (Writer, Belfast).
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