Handwritten letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Frank Aiken (Dublin)
(Personal)

I think it is better to finish the episode of the appointment of Mgr. O’Hara in a further personal letter. It leaves me free to say everything and to go back to my letter of the 29th Sept 1948, addressed to Mgr. Montini.

I hope my writing is not a torture to read. I shall make it as clear as I can.

On Tuesday the 27th November, about 2.50 our time, Fr Dunne the Roman Correspondent of the Indept. rang up to say that he had heard from a friend in the Vatican Radio Station that Mgr. O’Hara had been appointed. I had to reply that I knew nothing whatever about it – the usual Vatican formula for saying that you are not free to talk. Two minutes later he rang me back, this time to add that the news was official and would be announced on the Vatican Radio and in the ‘Osservatore’ that afternoon. Naturally, I felt extremely annoyed with Mgr. Montini, who gave me the most solemn assurance that he would inform me well before in order to give you time to have the announcement made in Dublin simultaneously with that in Rome. A minute later, Commendatore Bellardo phoned to say that Mgr. Grano, his chief in the Protocollo Section, had given instructions sometime before to convey the news to me, but he (Grano) had just then said that perhaps the instruction had not been carried out!

I spoke with complete frankness with Bellardo and said that my position was made extremely difficult by such negligence. The Secretariat should have known that it was very difficult to get a long distance call on the Italian system, and, naturally, my Minister would rightly feel very annoyed if he heard the final news on the radio or from the offices of the Public press. He was very nice about the whole matter, and promised to report fully to Mgr. Montini.

By a miracle, and a certain amount of strong language, I got the telephone officials moving, and I was through to you within seven or eight minutes. It had never happened before. However, on the way, a little difficulty arose which you should know of. The Italian office said that London could not get External Affairs as the officials would not be there until 4.0. I asked for the London official, and having heard the statement repeated, I asked for Dublin Central. Most fortunately the girl there was extremely helpful and, as you know, she succeeded in switching me on to yourself in the Dáil. I made the suggestion that you were probably at lunch there.

Later in the evening Monsignor Montini phoned to apologise – very adequately, indeed, for what had happened. I explained that the providential speed of the phone communication had made everything right. He went on to ‘congratulate’ me on the appointment which ‘I know, is very much according to your desires, from our conversations of three years ago.’

He repeated that the Holy Father was very anxious to have ‘no hitch about the publication’ and he was glad to hear that nothing untoward had occurred. I assured him that you and the Taoiseach were most grateful for the appointment etc. The following day, Wedsy (evg) I receive a letter briefly repeating his apology and congratulations. And on Thursday having received your instruction I answered his letter and conveyed your message formally. I enclose copies of both letters.¹

I presume you have sent a wire of congratulations to Mgr. O’Hara. I did so, myself, because of your personal relations, and I felt, in any case, you and the Taoiseach would consider it the right thing for me to do. I keep as close as I can with as many American Bishops (and Australian) as possible.

There is universal rejoicing at the appointment amongst the Irish Am[erican]s and, indeed, amongst all the English speaking (horrible word to have to use) clergy. They couldn’t believe their eyes or ears. We suffered a complete defeat the last time and this resounding triumph has completely restored our prestige. The Americans always hoped we should be the first to break the charmed circle. They realize that Mgr. O’Hara, tough of body and tougher of will, will be with us for a good twenty years and they have no fear that there will be another attempt to impose an Italian upon us.

We seem therefore to be entering into a new era, in which our Bishops will begin to give wholehearted co-operation to the wellbeing of our country – which, of course, will include abstention from any form of public action likely to shake the prestige of the state. I believe O’Hara understands how poor our reputation in Rome is from the point of view of scholarship, and I think he would take it upon himself to change the whole attitude of the Bishops towards the Irish College – still consisting of 99% mediocrities.

To conclude this chapter of my ‘trials’ in Rome, I send you a copy of a letter – very personal – which I sent to Monsignor Montini on 29 September 1948.² It was part of my campaign to secure the non-Italian Nuncio – and I had to go all out, because I had found a state of misunderstanding about every aspect of Ireland which made me almost despair. The letter was followed by twelve months tension and coldness in my regard. It was a hard period, but well worth while. Nothing but a really first class row – well-founded – could have made them respect us. We were still very much in their ‘British affairs’ category. T.G. that is all changed and between the decline of Britain and the rise of America we are coming into our own at last. You will not blame me for the ‘imprudence’ of that letter. Remember I had organised the foreign appeal side of the fight against the Communists at the elections in April 1948 (From Ireland alone we got £60,000). I sent the appeals in the name of the Civic Committee and wrote all the replies etc. for Luigi Gedda – the supreme Catholic Leader here. After that, I could say what I liked and I still enjoy considerable freedom of manoeuvre, because I am in most of the Catholic activities, in one way or another, encouraged by the Holy See. The letter was written, as it is, in English. I had not yet come to the relative ‘elegance’ which I hope I have now acquired in Italian.

The more I think of O’Hara’s appointment, the better I like it. At one time, I thought O’Connor (the Rector of the NA College in Rome) might be better – but on the other hand, O’Hara is a franker type, and will talk more freely to you and the Taoiseach – and that is absolutely essential.

We are entering into a great year of crisis, and a decent Irish-American – who has tremendous esteem for Ireland, can help in a thousand ways – inside and outside the country and from his point of vantage in the Park.