The quip on Derry Girls about Catholics in the RUC was a disgraceful misrepresentation

With regard to the letter from Andy Luke (‘Churches have bigger fish to fry than swearing on Derry Girls,’ April 19, see link below) replying to my earlier letter:

As someone who practised law for over 30 years, much of which was in civil and criminal litigation, which necessitated attendance at court both acting in person and instructing counsel, I have little regard for the Mr Lukes of this world, who hope to justify their opinions by trawling their CVs .

I am not interested in the history of swearing in comedy particularly when the name of Jesus is so abused.

In the courts such language would amount to contempt and also in many criminal charges of disorderly conduct, assault etc cursing and swearing is not an unusual part of the prosecution evidence.

Mr Luke emphasises the care of the Derry Girls writers, producers etc involved in the production. I take him to task on that point on the following basis: in the episode there was a snide reference made to the fact there were three Roman Catholics in the RUC.

I didn’t raise this issue in my first letter out of respect of RUC families who suffered their loved ones being murdered by the killers of the PIRA but I will now deal with this aspect of the ‘care taken’ by the writers.

On January 27 1972 (which was before Bloody Sunday) two RUC men David Montgomery aged 19 and Peter Gilgunn aged 27 were shot dead in Londonderry by the PIRA.

Constable Montgomery was a Protestant and Sergeant Gilgunn was an Irish speaking Roman Catholic from Co Cavan. John Hume remained silent on the murders and the Bishop of Derry Dr Neil Farren did not attend the funeral service of Peter Gilgunn.

I also noticed in the recent News Letter supplement on the 50th anniversary of the PIRA massacre outside the paper’s offices in Donegall Street in March 1972 that among the seven dead were two RUC constables – Ernest McAllister, 31, and Bernard Malachy O’Neill, 36. Once again, one of the officers was Protestant, one Catholic.

I have little doubt that many families who lost members who were in the RUC to terrorism are both shocked and dismayed at such disgraceful misrepresentation in Derry Girls, even if it is masquerading as humour.

Are these families not entitled to expect the head of Channel 4 to apologise for such misrepresentation?

When one compares the funeral of Sergeant Gilgunn with that of the Derry murderer Martin McGuinness and the attendance of the ‘Great and the good’ (Bill Clinton, Alaistair Campbell and even Arlene Foster) at his funeral surely all right thinking people are filled with dismay and are entitled to wonder how this society has become so corrupted.

Where is the call to return to biblical standards which used to dominate our laws and our actions?

I also ask the question of those people seeking election to the assembly: what is your attitude to this TV programme?

Lyle Cubitt, Ballymena

Churches have bigger fish to fry than swearing on Derry Girls