Letter from Daniel Costigan to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)
(69/7064)

I am directed by the Minister for Justice to refer to a recent telephone conversation with Mr. Cremin, and to inform you that five French citizens, who claim to be Breton Nationalists and Political Refugees, have arrived in this country via Great Britain, recently. Three of these persons state that the names shown on their passports are false names, and it is believed that the same is true of one of the others.

The following are the particulars so far available regarding these persons:-

As you are aware four Breton Nationalist Refugees entered this country illegally last Autumn and were allowed to remain here. The names of those Refugees are:-

Jacques de Quelan

Charles Gaonach

Gwion Yann Hernot, and

Joseph Jean Gourlet.

None of these persons appear to have sufficient means to maintain themselves in this country without taking up employment, and at least some of them have already applied to the Irish Red Cross Society for assistance. There is, of course, no evidence to support their claim that they are genuine political refugees, but in view of the fact that their claim may be genuine the Minister is not disposed to require them to leave this country for the present at any rate. Before taking any decision on the matter, however, he would be glad to have the views of the Minister for External Affairs on the question.