Assassination of British ambassador:The murder of the British ambassador to Ireland, Christopher Ewart Biggs, who was blown up by an IRA land mine in south Co Dublin at 9.40am on July 21st, 1976, shocked the country and had serious political repercussions in the weeks and months that followed.
Judith Cook, private secretary to the head of the Northern Ireland office (NIO), was also killed in the attack. Brian Cubbon, the head of the NIO and the driver of the car, Brian O'Driscoll, were both seriously injured.
The file on the matter in the Taoiseach's Department begins with a handwritten note from an official. Headed "Murder of British Ambassador 21/7/76", it reads:
"10am. Informed by p. sec to M/J [ private secretary to Minister for Justice] that ambassador, his wife and Mr Cubbon had been killed by an explosion at Murphystown Road. Attempted to make contact with Taoiseach [ Liam Cosgrave] but he was not at home at the time. Taoiseach came into office at 10.45am.
"I informed him that I had said to any Ministers who had been in touch with me that I thought there would be a Government meeting. Taoiseach agreed to my notifying all of a Government meeting at 11 am.
"11.30am. On the instructions of the Taoiseach I telephoned 10 Downing St, London, so that Taoiseach might convey condolences and regrets to British PM personally. Mr Patrick Wright, Asst Sec to the Cabinet who took the call told me that the PM was at a Cabinet meeting and suggested contact at 12.30pm.
"He offered to call but I said I would prefer to originate the call (as the Government meeting was on and I did not know where the Taoiseach might be at 12.30pm). In the event I telephoned 10 Downing St from the council chamber annex at 12.30pm and the Taoiseach spoke to the PM."
At 2.15 a phone message from the British embassy gave a short outline of a statement prime minister James Callaghan proposed to make to the House of Commons that afternoon. After detailing the facts of the atrocity the statement added:
"I, myself, spoke a short while ago to the Taoiseach. He expressed his deepest sympathy and regret and has undertaken that every effort will be made to bring to justice those responsible for this atrocity. He reiterated the Irish government's intention to continue to safeguard the lives of UK citizens in the Republic."
The statement concluded: "The queen has been informed. She was horrified to hear of the outrage and has extended her sympathy to the relatives of those involved."
At its meeting that morning, the Government agreed that all ministerial engagements should be cancelled until further notice. It also decided to offer a reward of £20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for the murders.
Detailed consideration was given to the funeral arrangements. Richard Stokes, principal officer, composed a detailed note later on the day of the murders.
"There is much to recommend the removal of the remains to a church service in this case, prior to removal to the airport and return to Britain. There is a strong need to have an orderly and dignified public expression of sympathy and outrage and an overnight lying-in-state of the catafalque in, say, St Patrick's cathedral would help achieve this. This would be followed the next day by State removal of the remains to Dublin Airport or, perhaps, Baldonnel, attended with full ceremony.
"All of this would have the effect of emphasising in public, and especially in bringing it home to television viewers in Britain, that the State here and the general public should not be confused with the perpetrators of the outrage.
"Such a procedure would depend, of course, on the wishes of the widow and the requirements of the British government, but I think they should be made aware of the extent of the honours which we would accord to the remains if it were at all feasible."
Handwritten notes on the file show that the Taoiseach's Department contacted Foreign Affairs and the offer of a State funeral was made. However, Jane Ewart Biggs decided against a State funeral for her husband but she indicated that she would welcome a memorial service the following week.
A note given to the Taoiseach before a Cabinet meeting on July 23 and read out to ministers said: "The British authorities have indicated that the removal tomorrow will be completely private. Only the family, embassy staff and the chief of protocol will accompany the remains from St Vincent's Hospital to Baldonnel."
A short note of discussions at the cabinet read: "Bar on Ministers attending functions ends at the removal of remains from Baldonnel tomorrow. M/J. Bomb weighed 200 lbs - placed in a culvert 317 yards from the embassy gate - probably placed in position on morning of the murder. Culvert bombs are S. Armagh specialities."
The memorial service was held in St Patrick's cathedral on July 28th and was attended by Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, ministers and other dignitaries.
The Taoiseach received a letter from Mrs Ewart Biggs dated August 10th read:
"Dear Mr Cosgrave,
"I want to thank you for your very nice letter about Christopher. The feeling that Ireland is sharing our loss with us is a great comfort to the children and to me. Thank you so much. Yours sincerely, Jane Ewart Biggs."
The following day, Brian Cubbon, the senior civil servant injured in the attack wrote to Minister for Foreign Affairs Garret FitzGerald from St Vincent's hospital.
"My dear Minister,
"Today I fly back to England to a hospital nearer my family. Before I leave Ireland I want you to know how deeply I have appreciated the warm personal concern and sympathy which you have shown for me, and for my wife, since the ghastly incident of 21 July. Thank you very much indeed.
"St Vincent's, both hospital and nursing home, have been absolutely marvellous. Your country must feel very proud to have a tradition of such splendid establishments . . .
"With care, I should be virtually fit to return to work before the end of October. I shall then have to steady myself to re-enter a Northern Ireland Office which is still desolated - as I am personally - by the awful loss of Judith Cook. Your words on 28 July about Judith and also about poor Christopher, caught our feelings exactly and my department is grateful to you for them. The violent men who contrive and carry out these atrocities are a terrible threat to both our countries; and a common enemy.
"No doubt I shall soon find myself concerned again with you and your officials in the minutiae of questions about particular incidents, overflights, explosives etc. I realise the presentational and local problems involved, and no doubt there will be some details on we shall continue to disagree. But in our hearts we both know that the true test is whether our two countries are in reality co- operating to the fullest possible degree on the ground against our ruthless common enemy.
"With warm personal regards, Yours sincerely, Brian Cubbon."
The Dáil was recalled a little over a month later on August 31st to debate an Emergency Powers Bill that was a direct response to the murder. A note from a senior official warned Mr Cosgrave in advance of the debate that it was not the practice to make a statement in the Dáil on the death of a foreign diplomat.
"I discussed the matter with the Chief of Protocol, Mr Burke, who said that . . . his strong recommendation would be that no statement should be made by the Taoiseach on this occasion. He said it would be contrary to international practice for a statement to be made in parliament and advised that the State's sympathy was expressed very fully by participation in the Memorial Service in St Patrick's cathedral.
"On Mr Burke's suggestion, I spoke also to Mr Seán Donlon, Assistant Secretary of the D.F.A. Mr Donlon endorsed the views expressed by Mr Burke. He said it would be inappropriate for the Taoiseach to make a statement on the matter in the Dáil; it would not be to anyone's advantage and, in Mr Donlon's view, would not be politically productive.
"In reply to a question from me, Mr Donlon said he thought that it would be inadvisable for the Taoiseach to make any [ stet] reference to the death of the ambassador, even by way of introductory remarks in his opening speech."
Mr Cosgrave ignored the advice. Introducing the Emergency Powers Bill to the Dáil on August 31st, he referred in his opening paragraph to the necessity for the legislation in the light of two events.
"I refer, firstly, to the explosions at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on the 15th July last and secondly, to the murder of the late British Ambassador, Mr Christopher Ewart-Biggs and of Miss Judith Cook, private secretary to the Permanent Under Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office, Mr Brian Cubbon, and the attempted murder of Mr Cubbon and the driver of the blown-up car, Mr Brian O'Driscoll, on the 21st July."
