By David McCullagh and Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
The State Papers are the secret letters, memos and minutes written by politicians and civil servants as they wrestled with the problems of the day. They were not meant for the eyes of the public – until now.
Here are five things we learnt from the first batch of documents released this year:
1. Lynch was concerned over Joyce repatriation cost
Taoiseach Jack Lynch was concerned that the Government would be stuck with the bill if a proposal to bring the body of James Joyce back to Ireland went ahead.
In 1968, Joyce’s son Giorgio suggested that his father’s remains might be repatriated to Ireland from his burial place in Switzerland.
But before considering the suggestion, Lynch wanted to know “to what extent Mr Joyce would expect that the Government would be involved in the financial or other arrangements”.
The suggestion was not followed up, and Joyce’s grave remains in Zurich. [Based on documents in 2024/5/28]
2. Irish, British govts opposed naming IRA’s Army Council
The British and Irish governments opposed the naming of the members of the IRA’s Army Council, believing that such a course would be “daft” and “counter-productive”.
A meeting of officials in March 2004 heard that the Independent Monitoring Commission, which reported on paramilitary ceasefires, was considering naming the members of the Army Council in its next report.
Both British and Irish officials opposed the move, and it was arranged to let the IMC know that the British Government “was averse to this course of action”. [Based on documents in 2024/112/3]
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3. Unionists did not take O’Loan seriously because ‘she was a Catholic woman’
Unionists didn’t take Nuala O’Loan, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, seriously because “she was both a Catholic and a woman”.
Ms O’Loan made the claim to British and Irish Government officials in February 2002, telling them that she had received “considerable abuse” from Ulster Unionist and DUP members of the Policing Board, which was not based on her arguments, but on “political and personality issues”.
She strongly felt “the real objections to her proposals and her role as Ombudsman was that she was both a Catholic and a woman”. [Based on documents in 2022/49/22]
4. NIO accepted it should have done more to protect Rosemary Nelson
After the murder of lawyer Rosemary Nelson by loyalist paramilitaries, the Northern Ireland Office accepted that it should have done more to offer her protection.
While extra security had been offered to some of her clients, who were opposing Orange marches on the Garvaghy Road, no protection was offered to Ms Nelson, because she hadn’t requested it.
A senior British official later admitted to his Irish counterparts that “with the benefit of hindsight the NIO ought perhaps to have actively sought her out on this”. [Based on documents in 2024/28/36 and 2024/28/38]
5. Irish furious with British over policing chair nomination
The Irish Government was furious when the British nominated a chair for the Commission looking into policing in Northern Ireland without telling them.
The news that former Conservative minister Chris Patten would chair the commission was leaked to the Daily Telegraph; Irish official Dermot Gallagher pointedly asked the British when they intended to inform Dublin.
There was further angst when the British rejected two Commission members nominated by the Irish Government.
A note on the file states: “Not the way to do business…We need to ensure that this is not repeated.” [Based on documents in 2024/24/40]
