Local clergy have led the way for decades

This irritation concerns a totally spurious suggestion that predecessors of clergy who ministered here had contributed, at the very least, very little to reconciliation and, at the very worst, had completely ignored the unfolding grimness of our situation. I believe nothing could be further from the truth in the case of successive Deans of St Columb's Cathedral; and it is with a humble sense of duty that I now pay tribute to them.

It was, of course, an altogether more innocent age in the late '60s when the orchestrated spotlight was not so strong. I witnessed the late Bishop Tindall (Church of Ireland) escorting the late Bishop Farren (RC) through the Fountain in 1969 and there wasn't a whimper and precious little media attention - with the notable exception of the ever trusty wee Willie Carson with his camera!

Dean George Good, who sadly passed away recently, engaged in his own very successful but quiet and totally convivial form of community relations throughout the particularly ugly days of 'The Troubles', and he was well respected by all.

He was responsible for saving many lives - and possibly souls - from his base at Bishop Street Within, where everyone, and I mean everyone, was welcome. I remember one particularly miserable Saturday afternoon at the Memorial Hall, when Dean George conducted the unfurling and dedication of a banner and then proceeded directly to the Parochial House for a reception, which, in itself, was not particularly noteworthy, until one considers that it was on the eve of the Twelfth and the IRA had dedicated a full week to bombing the town into shreds - including the Deanery.

During his watch, the excellent Cathedral Youth Club was established and Mrs Jeanette Warke, with her gallant family, has vigorously pursued its well defined communal remit since its inception.

Dean Cecil Orr and his family actively continued with Dean George's good work and the Two Cathedrals Festival proved a wonderful testimony for real community interaction.

Dean Orr devoted himself wholeheartedly to the regeneration of the Fountain and its school, recognising the benefits for the whole city that stem from the maintenance of a Protestant presence on the west bank.

The current Dean, Rev William Morton and his young family enthusiastically maintain the vigil at the frontline on Bishop Street, with the Dean's declared mission to keep the Cathedral and its widespread parish functioning effectively for Christianity and for all of the many communities here.

Apart from overseeing the vital restoration of the actual church building, Dean William has been at the forefront of much of the initiatives that have greatly assisted the reconciliation process locally. It is obviously a work in progress.

The church leaders have come and some have gone, and I am reminded now of the sentiments of one of the young Apprentices, Alexander Irwin, expressed just after the closing of the town's gates against King James's Army in December 1688. Directed politely to Bishop Ezekiel Hopkins, who was departing from the town because he disagreed with the action of the Apprentice Boys, young Irwin is reported to have said: "Your Lordship, your Gospel is good but there is still much work to be done."

Bishop Hopkins duly departed, the Siege took place and the rest is history that remains with us. There is much work yet to do and I am delighted that Dean Morton obviously recognises this and is continuing on the path of effective inter-communal practice so favoured by his predecessors.

The great contribution of all church leaders, of course, requires acknowledgement and judicious assessment; my intention here is to merely address some of the misinformation that occasionally circulates concerning other less obvious candidates for commendation.

It is quite simply an attempt to set the record straight, which is something to which we all are encouraged to aspire.