Extract from a letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(Secret)

[matter omitted]
... things are still slow about the 'Spada', but I have very high hopes that the proprietor will bite at last, in spite of the unwilling agent. I may have to ask you to get Nunan to approach him direct, but it would complicate the situation, and I shall give Pacelli a little more time. Meanwhile the unsuitability of this house becomes more obvious with every additional week spent in it.

I was glad to hear that Rivière had departed.¹ He was becoming a complete tool of the American Minister. I gave lunch to Kees Van Hoek² yesterday, and he had a long story to tell about your outmanoeuvring of the French Minister (and 'the long distance Dutch patriot Chargé d'Affaires'). Incidentally, he told me that Tommy Murphy³ had, on account of that achievement, given instructions to take External Affairs off the black list. Apparently, I personally was particularly black listed by him - a not unwelcome piece of news for me. However, it would not be a good thing if any of our papers maintained such an attitude, and I shall of course treat any of the staff who turn up here as if they had been all right. I am sure the Taoiseach wishes me to adopt that attitude. Of course I was careful with Kees Van Hoek - a notorious gasbag.

I have reported on the general Vatican attitude towards the rejection of our application for membership of UNO and I hope the Taoiseach will not be disappointed.⁴

I was sorry to hear about Mrs. Feehan's death, R.I.P.⁵ She was a grand woman. Everybody loved her, and she certainly has merited the great reward which I am sure she is enjoying. Remember me to your father.⁶ Naturally I feel the greatest sympathy for him in all the trials he has recently gone through. I hope his health is keeping good. Notwithstanding my great affection for Killenaule and its little graveyard, I hope I shall be buried in Rome if I die here or in the neighbourhood.⁷ This is not an indication that I am feeling depressed in mind or body, but just if it should happen that I went to the other world from here (and it isn't an unwholesome thought to have in one's mind) I want you, as Secretary of the Department, to know my positive desire in the matter. One's relations are usually idiots about one's place of burial. The greater the distance to the grave the better they like it. In actual fact I am full of beans and I think I have ceased to lose weight. I am now reacting well against all the disadvantages of the heat and the house. It would be quite impossible for me to get away again for a long time. There are things without end to be done. Apart from the completion of the 'Spada' transaction, and the presence of so many Jesuits and Dominicans of Irish origin in Rome for their respective elections, I am only beginning to see the outlines of the work that can be done here. I am also anxious that Dr. Nolan⁸ should remain on holiday most of this month. His wife is well over her little operation for an appendix, but she will want a good rest.

The heat has taken a Sirocco turn, and it is as sticky as ever. I feel certain I can beat the climate here once up a few hundred feet above this level, and also if you will continue a little longer to help me to keep the staff of the mission as it is. Can you imagine the stupidity of asking me to send Signorina Filippucci to Mr. MacWhite for a fortnight at any time? But how can I qualify it when I am asked to do so while Dr. Nolan is on holiday. Fortunately both Signorina Filippucci and Miss Purfield are extremely obliging and self-sacrificing and they do what they can to help after their normal hours. The publicity side of the work is, of course, of immense importance, and I hope to keep up a constant stream of items going out to the 'Osservatore', 'Pro Deo', and the other Catholic centres. This is an indispensable element in building up our reputation here. I have the entire support of the Vatican for it and I have no doubt that we must soon issue a short weekly bulletin. Mgr. Montini is even anxious that we should get good books on 'Irish History' like Fr. Ryan's 'Irish Monasticism'⁹ translated into Italian. That must wait a little while longer, and I do not know where the money is to come from. But it must be done as part of our build up.

[matter omitted]