Volume 6 1939~1941


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 255 NAI DFA Madrid Embassy 34/1A

Letter from Patrick J. O'Byrne to Seán Murphy (Vichy)
(M.10/11)

Madrid, 8 August 1940

I have to state for your information that an enquiry has been made here on behalf of a Mr. Samuel Beckett, who is at present residing at the Villa St. Georges, 135 Bd. de la Plage, Arcachon, Gironde, who is without funds and has no means, apparently, of having funds transmitted to him from Dublin.

Having discussed the matter with the person1 who called here on Mr. Beckett's behalf, it was decided to request Mr. Beckett's brother at Dublin to lodge with the Department of External Affairs the sum of £100, all of, or a portion of, which might be cabled to you for Mr. Beckett's account. The following telegram was therefore despatched from the Legation yesterday:

'Frank Beckett, 6 Clare Street, Dublin.

Please lodge with the Department of External Affairs £100 for transmission your brother care of Irish Legation France.

Legirlanda'

It is believed that if and when he receives the money Mr. Beckett will decide to leave France for home via Portugal. The question as to whether all or only a portion of the amount requested should be sent to France in Francs will presumably be decided by Mr. Frank Beckett in consultation with the Department.

[initialled] P.J.O'B

1 Marginal insertion by O'Byrne: 'The person who called here was Mr Reavy, British Institute. P.J. O'B'. 'Mr Reavy' was George Reavy, a friend of Beckett whom he had first met in Paris in 1930.