Letter from John A. Costello to Archbishop John Charles McQuaid (Dublin)
(Copy)

My dear Lord Archbishop,

I am very grateful for your letter and for your kindness in reference to the statement which I made during the debate on the Estimate for the Department of External Affairs on atheistic Communism.¹

As your Grace was kind enough to display this interest it has occurred to me that you might care to glance through the speeches which I made during my official visit to the United States last March on Ireland’s foreign policy. It had occurred to me on my return that I should acquaint Your Grace of the speeches that I had made, but in view of Your Grace’s many preoccupations I hesitated to add to your burdens.

The very definite impression which I gained in America was one of extraordinary interest in this country, widespread feelings of friendship, and a surprising eagerness to know how we were going to act in the United Nations. It seemed, and still seems, to me that we have a great opportunity of putting the Catholic point of view in the deliberations of the United Nations, and securing much influence for Ireland. I feel that if we lose the opportunity now presented to us our country’s influence and prestige will be seriously damaged.

I thought I detected in some quarters here a disposition to criticise our entry and possible activities in UNO from some ultra-Catholic sources. I am taking the liberty, accordingly, of sending you –

(1) a copy of a confidential report on my visit,² and

(2) copies of the formal speeches which I made during the visit.

I am also enclosing a second copy of the speech at New Haven in the form in which it was published by Yale University.

I hope Your Grace will not think me unduly egotistic in sending you all three documents, or desirous of burdening you with them. My justification is my strong impression that much is expected from us and we ought not to fail.