George Gavan Duffy to Michael Collins (Dublin)

A Chara,

U.S.A. - Denis McCullough.

As McCullough's departure is bound to become known, it occurs to me that you might think it judicious to let me announce his departure as being on a special publicity mission connected with North-East Ulster. This would have the advantages of helping to conceal his main mission, of giving him a big publicity on arrival on the Ulster question (and this is badly wanted), and of looking like a threat to the Orangemen of active preparations on our part to resist Sir Henry Wilson's campaign of calumny. If you agree, I shall defer making the announcement for three or four days, in view of the present position in England.