Gabriel Byrne to assist in clearing Irish lieutenant’s name

ACTOR Gabriel Byrne is to extend to the US a campaign to clear the name of an Irish army lieutenant sacked without explanation more than 30 years ago.

Donal de Roiste was ‘retired’ in 1969 by President Eamon de Valera. He was never told why nor given the opportunity to respond to any alleged charges or his accusers.

His dismissal was raised during the 1997 presidential campaign of his sister, Adi Roche, the anti-nuclear campaigner who heads the Chernobyl Children’s Fund.