As the Biafran revolt collapsed in January 1970 the twin concerns of the Irish government continued to be those elaborated upon in ‘The Forgotten War’ by Enda Staunton (HI Autumn 2000): to ensure the welfare of Irish missionaries and to avoid antagonising the Nigerian authorities. That month the Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, met a leading international … Read more
One of the most intriguing episodes in the history of Anglo-Irish relations is the British proposal in June 1940 to end partition in return for Ireland’s participation in the war against Germany. The British ‘offer’ was made during the course of discussions between de Valera and Malcolm MacDonald, the former dominions secretary. According to Robert … Read more
The issue of integrated education in Northern Ireland has been given new impetus by recent political developments; the appointment of Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness as education minister and the devolution of powers to the local Assembly. He has yet to make any firm pronouncements but it is clear that increasing demand for integrated schools will … Read more
Sean Lester, Protestant nationalist, Irish diplomat, League of Nations High Commissioner in Danzig (Gdansk) and the last Secretary General of the League of Nations, is a fascinating subject for a biography. Douglas Gageby’s account of Lester’s life and times presents a vivid picture of Lester’s metamorphosis from nationalist to internationalist and from Irish diplomat to … Read more
On 20 August 1936, Éamon de Valera received ‘A Plan for a basic constitutional law and an Initial Version of a Draft’ from a legal adviser in the Department of External Affairs, John Hearne. That document marked the genesis of Bunreacht na hÉireann. By October 1936 the ‘plan’ had grown to seventy-eight articles and other … Read more