THE head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Seán Brady, yesterday strenuously denied the Church colluded in covering up the suspected involvement of a priest in one of the worst terrorist outrages in the Troubles.Nine people, including an eight-year-old girl and two teenage boys, were killed and 30 injured in three car bombings in the Derry village of Claudy on July 31, 1972.
A report by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman said the then head of the Church, Cardinal William Conway, moved the priest, Fr James Chesney, across the border to Donegal following secret talks with the Northern Ireland secretary of state William Whitelaw.
Fr Chesney, identified by the RUC as the head of the south Derry Provisional IRA, continued to practice as a priest in the south until his death in 1980.
Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson said police intelligence suggested that Fr Chesney continued to be involved in the IRA during that period and that he regularly crossed the border.
Mr Hutchinson said the RUC had engaged in a "collusive act" in seeking and accepting a deal by the British Government and the Catholic Church to move Fr Chesney out of the North.
Mr Hutchinson said his role was not to reach a determination on the actions of the Church or the state. He said there was no evidence of criminal intent by them but said the "morality or rightness" of their actions was "another matter entirely" and required "further public debate".
Cardinal Brady repeatedly said the report did not accuse the Catholic Church of collusion: "The Catholic Church did not engage in a cover up. The Church was approached by the secretary of state, investigated and reported back. I don’t see that as a cover-up.
"The Church was put in an impossible situation. From this distance, I cannot judge whether it was right or wrong."
Mary Hamilton, who ran a hotel in Claudy and was in the town that day, said: "I would like to see the Catholic Church coming forward and telling us why they felt Fr Chesney’s life was more important than nine people in the village."
She criticised the Church for allowing the priest to continue to preach "right and wrong" after being moved.
Mr Hutchinson later revealed that the police had intelligence suggesting that Fr Chesney continued to be involved in the IRA after the Claudy bombing.
He did not elaborate on details and noted that the period was not within the remit of his investigation.