Extract from a handwritten letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Archbishop John Charles McQuaid (Dublin)

[matter omitted]

Well! So the elections are coming. Whatever may be the result, I most sincerely hope that whether Mr. deV or Mr. Costello returns as Taoiseach the Depart. of External Affairs will be under him. Something has gone wrong since our friend came into External Affairs. His influence on the young men is unwholesome, liberal of the XIXth century French type, no serious Irish culture, perhaps even a little contempt for it. How can we represent Ireland abroad if we are going to be cheap and very inferior imitations of the British. From the first day this man's appalling insincerity struck me as a very positive evil for the country. The worst feature of the situation is that he seems to have fooled quite a lot of people. You may feel quite sure that everything wrong in Browne is derived very largely from the other.

It is a great pity, generally speaking, that we seem to have gone over to mere politics of expediency. I hope at least the great error about Six County publicity (for the sole interest of SM) will come to a sharp end.

At present, I have no ideas about my own future but, if MacB. comes back as Minister, I shall find it very difficult to write even the routine letter to Depart. assuming that I shall be left in my post, as were my colleagues of pre-truce service, whose pension would be reduced by the difference between their Service and that of the Officials who entered as juniors in the normal way.

Of course I love my work but to find yourself always opposed by unhelpful cynicism or complete lack of interest is rather heartbreaking.