9 February 1940 Note from +Kinane to +McQuaid offering his sympathies on the death of +Byrne. 1 item
Copy of a letter sent to + Byrne regarding the circumstances in which grants were made to the Colleges.
Handwritten letter to Fr. James A. MacMahon from Sean B. Byrne, Adm., St. Andrew’s. The advertisement was carried by the Irish Independent and the Evening Herald.
Typed minutes of ‘V’ Committee meeting. The following items are mentioned in the report: Mr. Fitzgerald has a good name among the people. Has agitated for housing. Fr Paul O’Brien received an anonymous letter concerning the American College of Personnel Efficiency and passed it on to Dr. O’Halloran. It repeats the statements of Mrs Una Byrne (letter, 2 April 1957). Fr. Crean to raise the matter of Dr. Morris with Rev. Dr. O’Doherty. Councillor M. Prescott: Archbishop would like information on him.
Typed letter to + McQuaid with enclosed information from Mrs. Una Byrne. Fr. Kent was approached by journalists and told that the NUJ, English and Irish, are to hold a congress in Dublin in a few months time. It is likely that the liberal group, led by McInerney, would be prominent. Irish group might vote for the re-election of Hutt, a Communist, as Secretary of the NUJ. The Guild of St. Francis de Sales has little influence. The assistant chaplain could meet the journalists and this would help the situation. Enclosed with the letter was a copy of the Committee Meeting of December 1962 and a copy of Hibernia. It contains articles by McInerney and Michael O’Leary.
Letter to + McQuaid from Fr. Jeremiah Twomey, C.M., St. Patrick’s Training College, Drumcondra, with two confidential Police documents enclosed “in connection with ….Communistic activities in the country.” Documents would imply that four students are implicated. Only one has given any cause for concern, Bernard Byrne. This concern is based on “feeling, not on evidence.” The students had received a letter from Peadar O’Donnell. Fr. Twomey asks for a meeting with + McQuaid for direction. A handwritten note from + McQuaid says he met Fr. Twomey and that nothing is to be done.
May, 1942 Copy of a letter from Peadar O’Donnell to four students – Bernard Byrne, John Gallagher, Isaac Logue and Charles McGeady, St. Patrick’s T.C. - inviting them to meet him for a chat in response to their letter to him. O’Donnell is toying with the idea of planting them into the migratory workers’ bothies in Scotland. Their idea of going to a turf camp is equally good.
Note from Fr. James Ardle MacMahon to + McQuaid informing him that Grille might appear on the ‘Late Late Show. Fr. Tuohy asked by Gay Byrne to appear on the programme.
Report of the meeting of the International sub- committee of the IHA. Letter received by Mrs Lucy Kingston from the Japan Council Against A. & H. Bombs looking for help for the forthcoming World Conference. Mrs. Reynolds had asked that an article on Nuclear Disarmament, to be written by Mrs de Courcy Ireland, be printed in the IHA magazine. This was opposed by Una Byrne on the grounds that the IHA was a non-political organisation.
Reports on the Fabian Society, Trinity College, between 28 February and 29 October 1962. John Byrne spoke on the Capitol system in Ireland. Said that unless the power of the Catholic Church was restricted there was no hope of getting a decent wage for workers. Religious Orders held wealth of the country. Jesuits were dictators. The Catholic Workers’ College was set up to train people to take over trade unions. Maynooth College did not pay its workers a living wage. Jeffers was a lecturer in Trinity but forced to leave due to his work for Communism. Michael O’Riordan deplored Ireland being used as a cushion between Russia and America. Trade should be encouraged between Ireland and the Socialist countries. Michael Foot and John Collan were unable to attend a meeting due to the unsettled state of the world.