The silencing of Fr Tony Flannery (Irish Examiner, Thursday, Jan 24) brings to mind another who spent a lifetime pursuing independent thought and conscience in defiance of the Catholic Church – Galileo.

Perfect People

Nicolaus Copernicus, the 16th-century astronomer whose findings were condemned by the Catholic Church as heretical, has been reburied by Polish priests as a hero, nearly 500 years after he was laid to rest in an unmarked grave.

Researchers say they have identified the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus by comparing DNA from a skeleton and hair retrieved from one of the 16th-century astronomer’s books.

TONY PROCTOR (Letters, October 7) appears to believe that a Catholic ethos in schools tends to stunt high performance in mathematics, science and technology and that more generally it is inimical to a true spirit of educational inquiry.

COPERNICUS was a wise man, but he couldn’t hold a candle to Maureen Harding Clark.

THE Irish Examiner, along with the rest of the media, has given considerable publicity to climate change sceptics, presumably in the interest of ‘balance’ and to generate controversy.

ON October 31, 1992, Pope John Paul II apologised on behalf of the Vatican for the persecution of Galileo Galilei over 350 years earlier. Poor Galileo had the nerve to say that the sun, not the earth, was the centre of our universe.

Polish archaeologists have launched a search for the grave of an uncle of Nicolaus Copernicus in hopes the relative’s DNA can confirm that remains they found last year are indeed those of the 16th-century astronomer, the head of the research team said today.

Pat Keane

Moscow Flyer remains unchanged as 11-4 favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase with Coral following a comfortable victory at Punchestown today.

Native Upmanship booked his ticket to Kempton for the Pertemps King George VI Chase by winning the John Durkan Memorial Chase for the second time in three years at Punchestown.

NATIVE UPMANSHIP is a hopeful choice to provide the answer to the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown tomorrow.

THE classy Prince Of Tara will be the focus of much attention in the opening Athgarvan Hurdle at