Letter from Joseph P. Walshe to Patrick McGilligan (Dublin)
(Copy)

Dear Minister,

I know you would like to have a confidential report on Bewley's form in his new post. He has shown himself fully capable of grasping the significance of all the different aspects of the situation here. In the first place he is making himself quite at home with the different religious bodies and I have heard from several clerics that he has made a definitely good impression.

We went to see Fr. O'Gorman the day after our arrival and have been constantly with him since. We did not think it wise to visit any other religious body or individual until the formal agrément had been received. The formal agrément was received on Friday and we went to the Irish College on Saturday morning about 11.30. After about ten minutes wait Fr. Curran¹ appeared. Bewley told him that he had been in Rome some days but had only just received his agrément. Fr. Curran made no reference during an hour's conversation to Bewley's post, to the Irish Free State, to the Vatican; in fact, to nothing except to the weather and the new college building (through which he conducted us). He did not offer us either a drink or a cigarette (though that is usual here at any hour); he did not ask Bewley for his address, or even hint that another visit to the college would give any pleasure. He was about as insulting and uncivil as he could be without being aggressively rude.

Our first visit to an Irish house in Rome was not, therefore, very encouraging, but it was nevertheless helpful. Fr. O'Gorman told us afterwards that Fr. Curran had complained to a friend of his that we had not visited the Irish College before any other house in Rome. Fr. Curran apparently knew that we had been with Fr. O'Gorman. The difference between them is that Fr. O'Gorman is and has been all the time a strong supporter of our Government, is a personal friend of the President and is always ready to help representatives or friends of the Government who come out here; while Fr. Curran has not concealed his hostility to the very existence of our State. In case he complains to the Bishops which is unlikely, we can answer him quite adequately on the ground of the absolute correctness of our action. But I think he will hardly be so foolish as to expose himself to a general examination into his position. Fr. O'Gorman is giving a lunch for Bewley tomorrow. He was to ask Curran yesterday. That will be a definite test. If Curran refuses, then it is clear that the Irish College does not want to be friendly. If he comes he will have shown some sort of decency as Fr. O'Gorman was to make it quite clear to him that, in actual fact, we had paid no visit whatever in Rome before going to the Irish College except to himself as a personal friend. I feel it is better not to give Fr. Curran any genuine ground for complaint. If he can be converted to the State so much the better. After the Irish College we went to see Brothers Clancy and Clarke. What a different reception! They expressed their very great pleasure at the appointment. You know how closely these two men are in touch with the Vatican. They knew already that the Holy Father had not been able to find a person in time to send as Chargé d'Affaires; that he was waiting for the consistory in early September at which there would be several changes made in the Diplomatic service. They found it quite natural that the postponement should have taken place, and they did not show the smallest degree of scepticism about the nomination taking place after the consistory. These two men can be of tremendous utility to Bewley. Clarke, being Secretary to the Maestro di Camera to His Holiness, can readily obtain first hand information, and Clancy, who was Secretary, is an adept at getting information second hand. It was quite clear that they took to Bewley who was completely at his ease with them. They entertained us to tea, etc.

We went next to San Clemente, the Irish Dominican House, where Fr. Brown (brother of Fr. Brown of Maynooth) is Superior. He also was very hospitable and expressed his great delight that the Government had at last appointed a Minister to Rome. Fr. Nolan, the rector of St. Isidore's (Irish Franciscans) was no less pleased and hospitable. He has the reputation of being a little bit of a Republican, but the only way he showed it was by expressing his strong conviction that the Government should have sent their first Minister to Rome. I explained to him that it had been a difficult job to organise a completely new department, etc. He spoke a good deal about the need for giving the Irish in Rome (over a thousand clerics and nuns) as well as the partly Irish, some centre round which they could group themselves, and so acquire sufficient solidarity and influence to get proper credit from the Vatican for their work as a national group. He complained about the complete absence of any mention of Ireland or the Irish from the 'Osservatore Romano' and the daily increasing prominence given to England in the same paper generally for things done by Irish Catholics. His general arguments were largely those which you yourself had in mind when setting up the Roman post. I have a sort of conviction that Fr. Nolan (whose name in religion is Pacificus) will be a very strong supporter of our Minister if only because his mere appointment gives the Irish in Rome a definite increase in prestige. I must again note here that Bewley showed considerable tact in dealing with all these men and I don't think you will ever have any need to regret the appointment. Quite the contrary! Incidentally, Bewley has quite considerable fluency in French which he acquired as a boy.

Today we are going to see Fr. Magennis, General of the Carmelites - an unconvertible Republican, but not a hostile intriguer - and another Fr. Nolan, who is Prior of the Collegio Angelico. We shall also probably see Father Sylvester who is an Irishman with an important post in the Capuchin Order.

I am going to stay here until all the arrangements for Bewley's reception have been completed. If I had not left Rome the last time I think I could have prevented the hitch in the Dublin representation.