A memory of questions from 1969

In 1969, as a first -year divinity student, I had the opportunity for some practical experience in two small Presbyterian congregations in Enniscorthy and Wexford.

Keen to understand the local situation, I found myself one June evening among heaving thousands in ‘The Bull Ring’ in Wexford.

A general election campaign was under way, and the Fianna Fail Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, was on a whistle-stop tour of the country.

And so there I was, perhaps the only Ulster Unionist in a sea of ‘Soldiers of Destiny.’

From the back of a lorry a local representative rambled on about the great privilege of being on the platform with the said Taoiseach, the holder of multiple Gaelic football medals for Cork.

The crowd was growing restless when Lynch got to his feet.

In his soft Cork accent he uttered a few sentences in Irish, and the crowd fell silent to catch his words.

Then he launched into his patter.

From the edge of the crowd, way behind me, a voice shouted out a question.

I couldn’t catch what was said, but gesturing magisterially to his left, Lynch said, ‘I’ll deal with East Limerick in a moment.’

And that’s where Des O’Malley comes in.

The T.D. for East Limerick had died in office, and there was a question about his successor.

The deceased member’s widow declined to stand, and the seat was taken by her nephew Des O’Malley, a twenty-seven-year-old lawyer, who went on to hold several offices of state before helping found the Progressive Democrat party.

He was on the side of the angels, and although he had impeccable republican credentials, be abhorred ‘the armed struggle’ and was deeply suspicious of Charlie Haughey.

That night in Wexford, however, changed my estimate of Jack Lynch.

He had previously struck me somewhat like a rabbit caught in the headlights, but that night he was at the top of his game.

Handling questioners requires great patience and mental agility.

No one could manage it with the panache of Jesus of Nazareth.

On one occasion critics posed a question about the propriety of paying the taxes levied by the Roman authorities.

If Jesus said the taxes should be paid, the Jews would be annoyed; if he said they should not be paid, he would place himself in a dangerous position with the Romans.

Asking for a penny, which bore the image of the Roman Emperor, he said ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s (Mark 12;17).

No wonder the gospel writer added ‘And they were amazed at him’.