Eamon de Valera died in 1975, leaving behind an Ireland, North and South, about as far removed from his idyllic vision of maidens dancing at the crossroads as could be imagined. As the State papers for 1975, released under the 30-year rule, graphically show it was in many ways an annus horribilis for the Fine Gael/Labour coalition of the time.
While trying to fend off economic disaster at home, the government was also on high alert over signs that the British government was contemplating the option of withdrawal from Northern Ireland. The jitters in Dublin were reinforced by suspicions that the British were secretly negotiating a withdrawal with the IRA under the cover of a ceasefire. Confidential reports which have become available show a Department of Foreign Affairs deeply pessimistic about the future of Northern Ireland and even predicting "civil war" or at best a "re-partition". The short-lived Constitutional Convention of the political parties north of the Border resulted in failure, making British intentions even more worrying and deepening the split inside the SDLP between party leader Gerry Fitt and John Hume.
The British had their own concerns about the "fragility" of the Irish State and the embassy in Dublin wondered if Britain would soon be having a "Portugal on our doorstep". There was some irritation with the then minister for foreign affairs, Dr Garret FitzGerald, for "increasingly frantic" behaviour over the possibility of another workers' strike like the one which brought down the power-sharing executive in Belfast in 1974. By the end of the year, Britain was resigned to the long-haul strategy of direct rule.
Notwithstanding the IRA ceasefire, there were 247 violent deaths in Northern Ireland and the kidnapping of Dr Tiede Herrema in the Republic. One official in Belfast suggested a morale-boosting campaign which might bring Morecambe and Wise and Frank Sinatra to perform free, perhaps at Stormont. It is easy today to smile at such naivety, but eventually pop stars did come together to celebrate the Belfast Agreement.
The death of de Valera led to days of mourning in the Republic. The tributes were widespread. It was not really the end of an era, because the Ireland of de Valera had ended when he left government for Áras an Uachtaráin 16 years earlier. Other historical figures, such as Daniel O'Connell and Archbishop Oliver Plunkett, still had relevance in 1975. Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave was advised to keep the bicentennial celebrations for the "Liberator" low key, as he was still a "bogeyman" for Protestants on the island. The Department of Foreign Affairs feared that the attendance of both Mr Cosgrave and President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh at the canonisation of Oliver Plunkett in Rome would send the wrong signal about "Catholic sympathies" northwards. The president was left at home. This crop of State papers indicates just how much the Anglo-Irish relationship has changed.