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.

Correspondence between Fr. T. O’Riordan and +McQuaid regarding the purchase of 118 South Circular Road.

Handwritten letter to Father from Sean O‘Sullivan. There are a number of members of the Irish Workers’ League in his district and he wants to know if Decree of the Holy Office (1 July 1949) applies to them. Some members of his CIE Study Circle asked him if they can read the Irish Workers’ Voice in order to answer the arguments of Michael O’Riordan. They are thinking of producing an opposition paper.

Correspondence from Fr. William M. O’Riordan to +McQuaid enclosing the text for the foreword Reportorium Novum and forwarding the Archbishop an advance copy.

Typed report. Anthony Coughlan, Cork, member of the CP in England. Appointed lecturer in TCD. Michael O’Riordan standing as Socialist at next General Election. Youth club set up at 37 Pembroke Road. Led by the Bolton brothers and Massy. Rory Roberts was responsible for the breakdown in the Electrical Strike.

Typed letter to Fr. Diffney. Michael O’Riordan and John Nolan have gone to Poland. O’Riordan approached a printer in Dublin to print a paper. Machinery costing £4,000 would be needed. O’Riordan told him he could get the necessary funds. Jeffares refused a passport to go to China with the Cultural delegates. Trouble in the League of Decency over rules. The IHA are sending a delegation to the Minister of External Affairs asking him to appoint a woman observer to the League of Nations and UNO.

Typed report, stamped ‘Confidential’ in red, on CPI and KO activities. At the Executive meeting of IWL on 6 November the advisability of concealing the League’s “direction from the Communist Headquarters in London” discussed. This accusation was being hurled at members. The meeting scheduled for 8 November cancelled due to a march by 1,200 students banners read “Soviet Murder of Hungary” windows of New Books broken to chants of “burn it down”. Catholic confraternities in CIE urged their fellow workers not to work with Mick O’Riordan. Matt Merrigan says he is a Social Democrat and not a Communist.

Handwritten report saying that Sam Nolan and Deasy are going to seminar in Czechoslovakia. Selected by IWL at the request of the British Communist Party. Their subject is: ‘The Relationship between the Church and Trade Unions’. O’Riordan was in Moscow for May Day. Wonders what Eamon Byrne is doing here. Is he trying to start a branch of Connolly Association?

Typed copy of a letter to Mr. B. O’Riordan, Irish Embassy, Canberra, from Mgr. A.R.E. Thomas, National Director, requesting particulars of pilgrimages.

Typed report on CPI and KO activities. The meeting of the 5th June discussed setting up a library of Marxist and other progressive books. On 6th June M. O’Riordan, S. Nolan and G. Jeffares held a meeting at Elvery’s Corner, Middle Abbey Street, on the subject of housing. About 30 people attended. No enthusiasm apparent. The meeting of 7th June discussed ways to improve the make-up of The Irish Workers’ Voice. The Chinese Committee of Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries invited about eight people to tour China, all expenses paid.