Writer’s wartime role: a question of sources

MARTIN MANSERGH (Letters, September 26) relies on (unquoted) help from Prof Brian Girvin in his efforts to prove that Elizabeth Bowen’s activities in Ireland during World War II were other than those of a patriotic British spy.

I listened to Dr Mansergh debate that period with Prof Girvin on RTÉ’s What If radio programme. At every turn, in my opinion, Dr Mansergh demolished the professor’s theses on Ireland and World War II. How can he now call on this source to support him in his debate with Jack Lane in your columns?

Conor Lynch