The government was reluctant to participate in bicentenary events for fear of offending the Protestant community, writes Joe Humphreys.Daniel O'Connell commemorations
Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave was advised by his officials to play a "low-key" role in bicentennial commemorations of Daniel O'Connell's birth in order to avoid offending Protestants, files from his department show.
A briefing paper from senior department officials in February 1975 expressed "reservations" about the State's participation in commemorative events scheduled for later that year.
"For the average Protestant in this island - and that means for one million out of the four - Daniel O'Connell is something of a bogeyman and that is putting it mildly," the document read.
"In the average Orangeman, the mention of O'Connell arouses feelings of strong hostility. Indeed, the unveiling of the O'Connell monument in the last century gave rise, when the visiting Belfast contingent returned home, to extensive sectarian rioting and death.
"On a more moderate level, there is a fairly widely held view of Irish history which would credit O'Connell as the spear-head in the attempt to create a Catholic Irish state in an unfortunately exclusive sense. That view is held, for instance, as has been. . . expounded by the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. . .
"There are good reasons why, in the present climate in Ireland, we should play down the commemoration of our patriot and historic dead, especially if they do not exemplify the multi-strand aspect of our nation."
The briefing paper went on to suggest that the bicentenary should be marked by "at most" the issue of a commemorative stamp and "some local function at Derrynane with low-key participation by the State".
Files on the bicentenary also show that the government only began planning for the event after Mr Cosgrave received a letter on the matter from historian Robin Dudley Edwards.
A professor at the UCD archives department, he inquired on November 12th, 1974, about the likelihood of a public celebration.
The initial advice in the department was to "proceed with caution". A memo dated December 6th, 1974, questioned "whether the present is an appropriate time for us to parade our nationalism".
Initial suggestions included "an essay competition for school children", and a special radio or television programme.
It was subsequently decided that all government departments would be counselled for their views on the matter, and various suggestions were made, ranging from the issuing of a commemorative medal to "the setting up of a scholarship to be competed for annually by poor law students".
The government's sensitivity over the matter was illustrated by the retention of a letter addressed to The Irish Times in March 1975 from a woman who accused Mr Cosgrave of ignoring the bicentenary.
The taoiseach had drafted a reply to the letter directly to the woman in question, stating that the government would make an announcement shortly on a commemoration. However, a handwritten note accompanying the reply indicated Mr Cosgrave had ultimately opted against sending it.
The government eventually decided to mark the occasion by creating Derrynane National Park on the grounds of an existing public park and the neighbouring Dunraven Estate in Co Kerry. A memo in May 1975 stressed that the Office of Public Works would need "early instructions" about the decision "in order to get it off the ground" by August 6th, the bicentenary date.
The works were completed in time and President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh opened the park on that date. A week later, Mr Cosgrave visited the site and gave a special address in praise of "the Liberator".