No. 69 NAI DFA/10/P/168

Letter from Colonel Dan Bryan to Seán Nunan (Dublin)
'German-Irish Society'
(G2/C/540) (Confidential)

Dublin, 19 December 1951

You are probably better aware than I am of the ordinary activities and personnel of the German-Irish Society.1 There is, however, certain gossip or allegations current in connection with this Society which I desire to bring to your attention.

These allegations are briefly to the effect that the old Nazi-IRA group in Dublin have considerable influence in or are running the Society. One shrewd commentator put it to me that the present Minister was becoming associated with a number of people that his predecessor had carefully avoided and, as a result, was able to successfully maintain his position in a very difficult period.

The people referred to are firstly Helmut Clissmann. Clissmann was associated with the founding of this Society, is now a member of the Committee and is alleged to be one of the driving forces in it. He was, of course, concerned in espionage and other activities directed against Ireland during the war years and is for this reason a somewhat compromised person to be concerned with Irish-German activities. You already have a very complete file on him in the Department and his position in general would be somewhat analogous to that of Jupp Hoven (ref. our correspondence re Hoven in May, 1951).2

Another member of the Committee is Dr. Kathleen Murphy (Mrs. Paul Farrell).3 This lady was associated with IRA activities in recent times and also had and, I think, still has queer international affiliations.

One of Clissmann’s sister-in-laws is also associated with this Society.4

These people have brought some of their friends and supporters into this Society and because of this it has got an IRA-Fascist reputation. Personally, I have no information as to the influence this group really exercises but I am afraid they are getting this Society a queer reputation.

1 Founded in Dublin in 16 October 1945 at a public meeting at the Shelbourne Hotel, with Dr. Kathleen Eva Farrell (née Murphy) elected chairman. The society had the aims of giving food aid to needy children in Germany and of adopting orphaned German children into Irish families. It was wound up in 1952. In 1953 its charitable role was recognised by the Federal Republic of Germany through the award of decorations to its founder members.

2 Joseph 'Jupp' Hoven was a key figure in Abwehr operations in Ireland prior to the Second World War. See DIFP IX, Nos. 560 and 566.

3 Dr. Kathleen E. Farrell (née Murphy) (1889-1970). A former member of Cumann na mBan, Farrell had been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in July 1944 for refusing to give an account of her movements between 5pm and 11pm on 6 February 1944. In October 1944 Charles Kerins, an IRA volunteer, wanted for the murder of Garda Detective Sergeant Denis O'Brien, was arrested at Farrell's house in Rathmines. He had in his possession a large quantity of arms, explosives and ammunition, as well as IRA documentation. Bryan may be referring also to Murphy's possible contacts with individuals seeking passage to Ireland from Europe and onwards.

4 In 1938 Clissmann had married Elizabeth 'Budge' Mulcahy (1913-2012) of Oakfield, Sligo.



Purchase Volumes Online

Purchase Volumes Online

ebooks

ebooks

The Royal Irish Academy's Documents on Irish Foreign Policy series has published an eBook of confidential correspondence on the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations.
 

Free Download


International Counterparts

The international network of Editors of Diplomatic Documents was founded in 1988. Delegations from different parts of the world met for the first time in London in 1989.
Read more ....


Website design and developed by FUSIO