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

I enclose, for your information, a circular which we recently issued to the missions abroad about a movement which was got up some months ago (but which has since died down) for the grant of 'Dominion Status' to the Six Counties.¹

I am not sure that the second paragraph of our circular minute gives as full an account of the official views here about this question as it might. The first reaction to the change of nine out of ten people here would be one of violent opposition. It would seem to give further sanction to the claim of the Stormont clique that they have a right to a political existence separate from that of the nation as a whole. The Taoiseach himself would, I think, be strongly opposed to the change on that ground.

On the other hand, it could be argued, perhaps, that the grant of Dominion status to the Six Counties would be recognition by Great Britain that she has no right to be in Ireland at all. It would mean presumably that the Imperial Parliament at Westminster would cease to have any power over any part of Ireland and the ending of Partition would then be a matter for the two parts of Ireland to arrange between themselves and no legislative or Governmental act on the part of Great Britain would be required to consummate it. The Six Counties would no longer be part of the United Kingdom and would no longer be represented at Westminster.

I am not sure myself that there is not a good deal in this latter point of view, but, as the second paragraph of the official minute says, the question is clearly out of the realm of practical politics at the moment. Sir Basil Brooke has made a formal statement, obviously designed to kill the idea. The fact that he is so opposed to it is an additional temptation to think that, after all, the change might have brought elements of gain from our point of view.

It is not improbable that the movement originated in Six County Unionist circles anxious to get away from the tutelage of the Socialist Government in Great Britain, and it seems to have received some support from elements in the British Parliament favourably disposed towards the ending of Partition.