Letter from Frederick H. Boland (for Joseph P. Walshe) to Leopold H. Kerney
(St Jean de Luz)
(144/35A)

The Minister wishes you to take the opportunity of your forthcoming visit to Burgos to make personal representations to General Jordana about the case of Mr. Frank Ryan. You might say that, on the inauguration of formal diplomatic relations with the new Spanish State, the Irish Government desire to make a strong and urgent appeal to General Franco for Mr. Ryan's release. Such a gesture at this time would be highly appreciated not only by the Irish Government but by the Irish people generally.

Perhaps you would also find it possible, while in Burgos, to make enquiries about the fate of Andrew O'Toole¹. O'Toole's father informs us that he wrote recently to the Duke of Alba and received a reply saying that his son was not amongst the 'prisoners of war' in General Franco's hands. Mr. O'Toole appreciates that the boy, if arrested on a desertion charge, would not be treated as a prisoner of war, but he is very uneasy about the lack of official confirmation of your information about the boy's arrest.