Letter from Frederick H. Boland to Joseph P. Walshe (Holy See)

My dear Ambassador,
I am sending you herewith copy of an article on Anglo-Irish relations which appeared in Monday's 'Manchester Guardian' as well as the full text of the interview given by the Minister to the 'Manchester Guardian' correspondent upon which the article in Monday's issue was based.¹ The Minister's replies to the interviewer's questions constitute a pretty full exposé of the Irish Government's policy in repealing the External Relations Act and the Minister is asking the representatives abroad to adhere as closely as possible to his statements in any conversations or discussions they may have on the matter.

Naturally the British are not at all pleased at the prospect of the Act being repealed but John Dulanty is finding - even in British official circles - a very wide measure of acceptance of the reasonableness and inevitability of the step. The new legislation is likely to be introduced very early in the new session of the Dáil which begins on the 17th November. All the indications are that the measure will be approved by the Dáil unanimously.

Just about the same time as you receive this letter you will get a letter from the Minister about the appointment of the new Nuncio. I shall, therefore, not attempt to deal with the matter in this letter. Paro, as you may easily imagine, is inclined to be difficult and umbrageous. When the matter has been considered by the Government, the Minister intends that whatever submissions it is decided to make to the Holy Father on the matter will be made through you. The doubt I had in my mind at the beginning about the interest of His Grace of Dublin in the appointment turned out - when I went further into the matter - to be quite unfounded. He is, perhaps, the most emphatic of the four Archbishops in deprecating an Italian appointment.

That long promised letter is on the way. I hope to finish it before we go to Paris on the 3rd October.