David McCullagh on a tale of church and state in 1950s Ireland rte.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rte.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
On his way to his father’s funeral after 13 years’ exile in England, Ernest Tilson decided to call at his old stomping ground of Cole’s pub in Ballsbridge, Dublin, for a nostalgic pint. There he met his estranged father-in-law, John Barnes, and despite the public notoriety that had befallen both their families, the men sat in the pub together and decided to set the world to rights.