An Irish-American's $815,000 bequest to the State is to be used to establish an archive of early 19th century papers from the office of Britain's chief secretary to Ireland.
Announcing the plan the Minister for Arts, Culture, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, said the archive comprised "the single most important series of papers" on Ireland in the 19th century.
They span the years 1818 to 1852 and concern subjects ranging from emigration to law and order, the penal and judicial systems and the relief of distress.
The establishment of the archive was made possible by the bequest to the National Archive, worth more than £550,000, from the late Prof Francis J. Crowley.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1902, Prof Crowley had a lifelong "cultural and emotional" attachment to Ireland, Ms de Valera said.
He was Professor Emeritus at the University of California in Los Angeles before his death two years ago.
The professor stipulated that the money should be used to require and preserve records of the history of the Irish people, with particular emphasis on the experience of emigrants. The funds will be used for the listing, microfilming and publication on CD-ROM of the chief secretary's papers.