Typed statement from conversation with Una Byrne. She thinks there is a witch-hunt in Fianna Fail against the Knights of Columbanus carried out by the Masons and Senator Hartnett. Thinks there is a link between the IHA, the Fabian Society and the Republican Forum as the same people appear in these societies. She stated that Mrs McAuley is not satisfactory as regards the Adoption Board. She appears to be pursuing the wrong policy and has not paid much attention to the feelings of the adopters or the adopted. Mrs Byrne thinks that the school for Ballybrack parish will become an election issue, but the site is unsanitary and rat infested. Superintendent Boyle told Mrs Byrne that he will not deal with Fr. Crean as he was quoted by him.

Copy letter from +McQuaid to Mgr. Felici, regarding the World Congress of the Lay Apostolate. He had discussed the matter with Mr. Veronese and the Irish Ambassador to the Holy See when he was last in Rome. He suggests the Ambassador and possibly Fr. P.C. Crean as suitable delegates. He hopes the Nuncio will approve.

Copy letter from Fr. James Ardle MacMahon to Fr. C.P. Crean, Stillorgan enclosing a statement on Censorship.

Typed report saying that Fr. Crean called. The Students’ Council of IWL decided at their Conference to find out the number of clerics teaching in the Universities, attending classes, the number and nature of Catholic Societies, and pass this information on to the Soviet Authorities. The Council intends to influence Technical and University students. Fr. Crean and Fr. Doherty suggest that a number of hefty Catholic students at Trinity be allowed to join the Communist societies, get these societies to make a clear statement of their aims, publicly unmask them and have them banned by the Trinity authorities.

Typed copy of a letter to Fr. Crean from Fr. J.A. MacMahon asking for advice and guidance regarding the enclosed draft notes concerning the Committee.

Typescript copy letter from +McQuaid to Rev. C.P. Crean C.F., Head Chaplain enclosing the request from the Nuncio to prepare a report, with as much detail as possible, on the religious services for the Armed Forces.

Typed minutes of ‘V’ Committee meeting. Its function this year is to report to + McQuaid in detail on officials of the various trade unions. Each member was given 22 trade unions with names of officials. The V. Rev. Chairman had a report, compiled by the Knights of Columbanus in 1948, on Communist members and their activities. Fr. Crean was delegated to approach Colonel Callaghan, the Head of Army Intelligence, to update the list of Communist Party members. Information was sought on journalists Brian O’Neill, Tony Malone, Annie Kelly, Maurice Hickey, Don Rooney and Michael McInerney.

Letter from Fr. Paddy Crean to Michael seeking permission for Fr. Arthur McMahon to speak to a private meeting to the Bakery Trades Branch of St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society.

• Correspondence and reports from Frs. Joseph A. Carroll and Cyril P. Crean relating to the Charlie Chaplin film A King in New York. 22 November 1957

Correspondence between +McQuaid, Frs. John, 19, May 1965, O’Regan, Cyril P. Crean and Patrick Duffey in relation to the Annual Army Pilgrimage to Lourdes. (see also file 21), 7 items