Handwritten letter from Count Gerald O'Kelly de Gallagh to Joseph P. Walshe
(Dublin)

My Dear Walshe,

Just a line to tell you how things went yesterday at the presentation of the credentials. The ceremony was for 3.30. At 3.10 Cawley arrived at the hotel in dress clothes and tall hat complete. At 3.20 de Fouquières turned up in uniform with two cars 'de la Présidence' - And at 3.25 we set off, de Fouquières and I in the first car, Cawley in solitary grandeur in the second. It was raining and the road surface was slippy, and the cars went very slowly. The traffic was held up for us while we crossed the Elysian Champs at the Rond Point. As we turned in to the courtyard of the Elysée a company of the Republican Guard - or rather, I should say, a platoon - drawn up on the right under the command of an officer, saluted with a roll of drums. I acknowledged the salute suitably with an impeccable silk hat - not the episcopal one the photograph got me in in Dublin - At the steps of the palace we were received by two aides-de-camps who conducted us up the steps into the hall, where a major domo, complete with sword, assisted by numerous flunkeys, relieved us of hat, scarves, and coats. We were then ushered in to a large waiting room, while de Fouquières disappeared through a double door to see if the President was ready. He apparently was ready, because the double doors were immediately thrown open, and I walked through, followed by Cawley, to whom I had given the Letter to hold, as it was too big for my pocket. I had need of both my hands for my speech.

    The President was standing in the middle of the room facing the entrance. To his right, drawn up in line with their backs to the wall, were his entire Civil and Military households - almost a dozen all told. Everyone was standing to attention. De Fouquières called out 'Le Ministre de l'État Libre d'Irlande'. I bowed to the Président, he bowed to me and I forthwith put my hand into my breast pocket, drew therefrom copy of my speech and delivered it as fervently as I could. When I had finished, a further exchange of bows and then the Président put his hand in his breast pocket, drew therefrom copy of his speech, and replied to mine in very cordial terms. I will try to obtain a copy of it. When he had finished Cawley handed me the Letter - or, rather, he had handed it to me when I had finished my speech, and I handed it to the Président on the conclusion of his. He handed it over to de Fouquières and then shook me warmly by the hand. I then asked permission to introduce Cawley, who shook hands too, bowed and murmured 'Très Honoré' in the most approved manner. While this was going on the Civil and Military households had achieved a flanking movement and were now drawn up immediately on my left. The Président then moved along the line from left to right, accompanied by me, and C[awley], and introduced each member of the staff. Afterwards he chatted with me for a couple of minutes, just pour être amiable - he is, personally, an extremely amiable character - and then we said goodbye. Bows all round and the Irish Mission, preceded by de Fouquières, left the room. Out in the hall we were helped into our clothes by the flunkeys and when we got to the foot of the ferron found four press photographers waiting for us. So we drew up on the seat in line - de Fouquières on my right and Cawley on my left, and were photographed twice. Then we got into the waiting cars as before, the Republican Guard again saluted, the drums beat once more, and three minutes later we were back in the hotel. It was then 3.45 p.m. We had been away from the hotel exactly 20 minutes! As you see the ceremony went like clockwork. It was extremely simple, but quite dignified. I see in this morning's papers that two other ministers were presented yesterday afternoon, after us, at half hour intervals. We were the first. I will send you the press cuttings when I get them. I had given copies of my speech to Havas and Reuters and two or three papers in the morning. I don't expect all of them will publish it, but some may. If the Temps do so so much the better. Two press photographers had been round to the office with the announcement of my visit to Briand, so it is possible that they may publish photos in some of the illustrated papers. An old friend of ours from Brussels, who has been staying in this hotel for the last few days, told my wife on Friday that she had met at dinner the previous night a Colonel somebody - my wife did not catch the name - who was connected with the Elysée and who informed the table as a matter of special interest that 'Samedi le premier Ministre d'Irlande a Paris allait présenter des lettres'. Apparently it aroused great interest.

By the way de Fouquières asked me what exactly was the meaning of the last sentence in the speech, adding that, while there could obviously be no objection to it, he did not quite see what it had to do with the rest of the text. He hastened to add that he was merely asking this for his personal information.

During the coming week I will be busy with ceremonial calls. I have to call on the presidents of the Senate and of the Chamber - through de Fouquières office and then doing round of calls on the Diplomats. Tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock I lay a wreath on the miles ignolús.¹ After that I will have to resume my hunt for houses, which I had to interrupt for the past couple of days.

Cawley is settling down gradually. He is absolutely full of good will and the desire to do the right thing. His life here will be an absolute change from anything he has ever seen before. In matters of wardrobe, social conventions etc he is as the babe unborn, but as he is only too anxious to learn he will soon be all O.K. I need not tell you that I will do my best to help him.

I apologise for sending you this long screed, but I wanted to send you an informal report of yesterday while the facts were still fresh in my mind, so I did not like to wait till tomorrow. Besides tomorrow I'll be very busy and I'm desperately handicapped by not having a shorthand typist at my disposal.

How are things going in London? And how long more do you expect to be there? I do hope you can manage to come over here if only for a night, before you go back to Dublin.