Guerrilla leader’s true image is based on his achievements

YOUR columnist Ryle Dwyer expressed dismay (Irish Examiner, January 8) at efforts by correspondents to revive the “tarnished images” of figures like Dan Breen and Tom Barry.

But why should their images be tarnished? Tom Barry has been denigrated mainly because of the discovery of a British archival document that he is alleged to have written and that did not mention the false surrender during the Kilmichael ambush. It is now found that this was a propaganda document.

Other efforts to prove there was no false surrender have a serious question mark over methodology all of which I have dealt with in my recent book, Tom Barry: IRA Freedom Fighter.