Flannery / Cumann na Saoirse 1988 · p.82

2
d the Provos
ACROSS
anection?
IRISH
AMERICA
ovisional IRA are set for furtherconfrontation followingclaims
Jormer head of Britain's M16 and one-time security supremo
Catholicpriests in NorthernIreland in an effort to persuade
Isses."Ed Moloney reports.
Despite Fin
culated a pastoral message
wouldbeautomatically
callingmembershipofand
suspicious of someone like
Cultural Cer
upport for theIRA""sinful.
that. But it is conceivable that
There have also been other
he was attempting to find out
ignsofhostilitybetween the
whatmadeordinaryCatholics
THE PRESIDENT of the
wo,includingBishopEdward
tick and informationlike that
UnitedIrish Cultural Center of
Daly's decision.tobar IRA
could be veryuseful for the
San Francisco,Mr.Jack Cur-
funerals from churchesin
'supergrass' tactic."
tin has promised that the
Derry and outspoken attacks
The U.S. consul in Belfast,
Centerwill notclose dueto the
on the IRA from Fr. Denis
Mr. Bob Myers, said he had
financial difficulties it is at
Faul, a priest previously
"no knowledge'' of any of his
present going through. Mr.
knownforhis criticism of the
predecessors
assisting
Curtin has asked members to
RUC and the British Army.
Oldfieldtorecruit Catholic
be patient while the Center
Fr.Faul told the ‘Irish
priests and would find theidea
goes through another change
Voice'thatheregarded the
"distasteful and contrary to
in the dining service.Hours
allegations as“absurd,”and
therole normally played in
and days will be modified tem-
las an effort toembarrassthe
Belfast by the U.s. govern-
porarily and ail commitments
Catholicchurch."'Inevermet
ment."'Theconsul at the time
will be honored.
He gave as examples of the
cost increases that they have
had to absorb: Wages for
尊
restaurant,bar and catering
1984
$318,700
1986
$524,124
Insurance: 1984
$24,584
1986
$59,115
1987
$75,553
As a cost cuttingmeasure
therestaurant has.beenclosed
weekdays and will open Fri-
day, Saturday and Sunday.
Theyalsohave a Sun&ay
.
brunch. The bar will novbe
open Monday through Tro
day from 4:00 p.m. to m.
night,Friday and Saturday4
p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday 10
p.m. to midnight.
The President and the Board
of Directors have appointed a
new manager Andy Duggan
fromBelfast andit is hoped he
willbeabletoincrease
business. He is the third new
manager in as many years.
A drive for newmembers
will begin and it is hoped that
the younger people will make
more use of the facilities.Itis
a widelyheldview among the
younger crowd that they are
not welcome atthe Center and
thattheoldercrowdviewitas
their club. It will be an uphill
MargaretThatcheropposespublication
battlefortheCentertoattract
the new Irish back to the
OldfieldandI don't know
of Oldfield's tenure,Mr.
place, such is the ill-will that
anyone who did.It's possible
Charles Stout,who now works
has been generated over the
he did meet priests, but the
in the State Department in
pastyearsby thosewho were
idea that they would help to
Washington, denied that he
in charge.
recruit informers is ludicrous.
had invited priests to lunch:
One ray of hope is the efforts
Everyone knows that theRUC
with Oldfield.
of manager,Andy Duggan to
developed "supergrasses" at
He said: *I knew Oldfield,
make available the Center for
the Castlereaghinterrogation
but I'm blessed if I can recali
center."
having him in my house, and
Other priests, who did not
I certainly don't recall any lun-
wish to be named,told the
ches with priests.Ireally can't
3HL
‘IrishVoice’thatOldfielddid
comment on this except to say
meetCatholicclergyoften on
that it doesn't make sense in
the pretextofhis interest in
terms of substance.It'snot the
church architecture.But,said
sort of endeavor the U.S.
one: "'I don't think he could'
government would get involv-
recruit them as agents; they
ed in.'
MONDI
SATUF
urice Oldfield did meet-withpriests,but;the
REACH
H help to recruit informers'is ludicrous, says
-MAINE
John Curran