Washington, D.C. November 20, 2002 ---Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern enjoys
broad support among Irish-Americans,
and that is why they will be
really taken aback by his statement
trying to explain away David
Trimble's latest sectarian,
anti-Catholic and anti-Irish outburst.
Mr. Ahern had said the views of some
Irish-Americans " acted as a
wind-up" for Trimble.
" I have deep respect for The
Taoiseach for his great work on the
peace-process ", said Fr. Sean Mc
Manus, president of the Capitol
Hill-based Irish National Caucus,
" and over the years
Irish-Americans have often been
scape-goated. But Bertie you can
blame us for anything, anything at
all, but please do not make us
responsible for David Trimble.That is
the unkindest cut of all.And it
is a responsibility not even the most
generous, long-suffering
Irish-American could possibly
bear".
