McG, I don't know how much time you've spent in Ireland, north or south, but you would find that for many Northern Ireland catholics, one of the most distressing aspects of the reunification campaign has been the lack of support it has had from their fellow catholics in the republic. i hesitate to take his name in vain, but I think you might find that our friend Ard Mhacha of this parish is one who holds this view.

I think it's a bit harsh to suggest that state attitudes have not changed a lot.The Widgery report was produced at a time when there was a strong belief within the judiciary that the state and its agents could do no wrong. In all probability Widgery believed the co-ordinated lies and deceptions put forward by the Paras and senior officers - in muh the way that Lord Denning was unable to uphold the Birmingham Six appeal on the grounds that to do so would mean police officer had lied - which any right-minded peron would regard as unthinkable.

Catastrophic failings in the judicial system such a the Birmingham ix, Judith Ward, the Guildford Four and several cases unconnected with Ireland, stripped lawyers and judges of their godlike status in much the same way as child abuse did for the catholic hierarchies in several countries. In both cases overwheening arrogance has had to be tempered with a little bit of humility. And in the case of the judiciary, establishing a Criminal Cases Review Commission has been an important step in the right direction.

Bloody Sunday was an exception even among exceptions and it is right and inevitable that the Saville report and debate about the report (including a parliamentay debate in autumn ) should treat it as such.