Volume 8 1945~1948


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 331 NAI DFA Secretary's Files P12/2A1

Extracts from a letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(Secret and Personal)

Holy See, 6 May 1947

I was very glad to get your personal letter of the last bag. I don't like to be too long without having direct contact with you.

I haven't been too good myself, but I am sure you will realize that visitors, for a single man, are a whole time job. It is very pleasant to have them and I am extremely glad that John and Margaret have been here.1 They could not have been nicer or more appreciative of any trouble I took about them. Naturally, I am looking forward to a visit from yourself and Judy. I think it most essential that you should see the Spada, and you need not think that I shall ever raise the question of allowances while you are here. I know how inept and unkind such a habit can be. You would also really enjoy Rome and I could send you out to the Sea as often as you liked.

[matter omitted]

I am sending you a secret note about Panico who is now definitely stopped from going to Dublin. I earnestly hope you can give me very early instructions. I shan't be happy here until the right appointment is made to this post.

[matter omitted]

I had Cardinal Griffin for supper one night last week. He and Archbishop Masterson with Mgr. MacMilan, Rector of the English College, just looked in for a moment and they stayed for about five hours. John Dulanty was here at the time, but as you know, he is very little help on such occasions, owing to his complete inability to discuss general problems, and his increasing anecdotage. I hope to see the Cardinal again before he leaves. He is most amazingly pro-Irish, pro-Taoiseach and of course Masterson could not be more so. Like every other Prelate from English speaking countries ... and I suppose, for ecclesiastical purposes, we are still placed in that category, ... he is entirely opposed to the persistence of the Italian domination of the Church. He is going to Poland very soon and later to Canada, where he expects to meet the Australian as well as the Canadian Cardinal. It is a great consolation to know that the Archbishop of Armagh is going to Canada also. Of course, I have said nothing about the latter visiting Ottawa so far. I hope you will tell me when it is finally fixed so that I may tell the Holy See before they see it in the papers.

[matter omitted]

1 Unidentified.