Casement Diaries not a "live issue" in Dublin

A discussion took place in 1965 about Britain giving the Casement Diaries - including the infamous "Black Diary" detailing alleged…

A discussion took place in 1965 about Britain giving the Casement Diaries - including the infamous "Black Diary" detailing alleged homosexual activity - to the Irish Government.

In June 1965, the secretary to the Department of the Taoiseach, Dr N. O Nuallain, received a report of a meeting between an Irish Government official and the British ambassador, Sir Geofroy Tory.

The ambassador told the official that as Mr Wilson had agreed to return Casement's remains "he might get further credit if he made a similar gesture in respect of the diaries - particularly as lie is being pressed by Hector Hughes and other members of his own party to do so".

The documents could not be handed over to Ireland without legislation at Westminister. "His personal view was that perhaps it was best to `let sleeping dogs lie'.

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"He went on to suggest, rather cynically, that it would perhaps suit the Irish Government to leave, the position as it is, with the British government carrying the blame for holding on to the diaries."

"The ambassador was assured that the question of the diaries was not a "live issue". He "accepted this and said ... he would prefer that I did not mention that he had raised the question".