Volume 8 1945~1948


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 98 NAI DFA Secretary's Files P48A

Dearg code telegram from Robert Brennan to Joseph P. Walshe (Dublin)
(131)

Washington DC, 22 March 1946

Person named in my telegram 971 reports having seen Gray, who is confident he is to be kept on. He asked my informant to help him to get Irish file in German Foreign Office. Gray is sure such exists and that it will incriminate Chief and Government. He had been kept out of German Legation, Dublin, presumably until everything had been destroyed, but they found one document which had fallen from waste basket. They had photostat made of this. It was signed by Daniel Breen,2 one of Chief's strongest supporters, and contained matter very damaging to Government.

On question of Partition, he said Chief intended to organise American campaign. He had been talking with Northern group who, in that event, would send delegation to Middle West to stir up Protestant feeling there with slogan 'Do not hand us over to the Catholics'. He had written to Joseph Kennedy3, John McCormack4 and others pointing out danger of this situation in which America would become cockpit of religious war.

My informant asks me we concur supply him with detailed list of Gray's hostile activities.5 Personally, I think time has come for a show-down.

1 Not printed.

2 Daniel 'Dan' Breen (1894-1969), volunteer in the IRA during the War of Independence and Irish Civil War, Republican TD (1923-7), Fianna Fáil TD (1932-65).

3 Joseph 'Joe' Kennedy (1888-1969), United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1938-40), father of President John F. Kennedy.

4 John William McCormack (1891-1980), Congressman (Democrat) for Massachusetts (1928-71).

5 See below No. 108.