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Friday 8 December 2023 Dublin: 9°C

# State Papers

Last year
2022
State Papers 1999: Mo Mowlam told Alec Reid she was 'f****d' if paramilitary killings continued
The late former NI Secretary of State was speaking as the decommissioning impasse rolled on.
When Bertie met Paisley: Attacks on Presbyterian churches led to meeting between two leaders
Ian Paisley sought the meeting with Bertie Ahern to discuss “religion and not politics”.
Canary Wharf: Adams was glad he 'didn't know about bombing' as he couldn't report or prevent it
Gerry Adams said he would not have been able to tell people in advance, because of his republicanism.
Young Boris Johnson argued for 'hard egg' approach to dealing with the IRA after Canary Wharf
Documents released to the National Archives show a conversation between Johnson and an Irish Government press officer.
Tony Blair told John Bruton 25 years ago that British people feared 'losing control' to the EU
Blair also told his Irish counterpart that he was “amazed” by the Irish economy and hoped it would help pro-EU sentiment in the UK.
FW de Klerk told Haughey that lifting fruit & veg ban would help 'mainly Black' South Africans
De Klerk sought to pressure the then Taoiseach during a 1991 visit to Dublin.
Tony O'Reilly offered newly widowed Robert Mugabe a stay in his estate and a lend of his jet
The businessman’s offer to the former Zimbabwean leader is revealed in newly released State Papers.
Irish officials warned 'Garvaghy Road won’t exist' if 1998 Orange Order march didn't go ahead
Former UUP MP John Taylor prompted a coversation between Taoiseach and Prime Minister over the dire warning.
Report into Aidan McAnespie shooting found it ‘difficult to accept’ soldier’s claims
McAnespie was killed in Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone, moments after walking through a border security checkpoint.
Ahern sought rubber bullet ban to put pressure on UK to restrict their use in Northern Ireland
A report by
Tadgh McNally
Internal controversy broke out over the purchase of 2,000 baton rounds in June 1997.
All time
The secret story of the Princess of Prussia's family jewels being stolen at gunpoint in Dalkey
The incident is revealed in newly released documents sent to the National Archives.
Real IRA not ‘overly active’, Ahern told Blair two weeks before Omagh bomb
The bombing was the single greatest loss of life of the Troubles.
How Bill Clinton's Kerry statue owes its roots to a visit by Dick Spring to Martha's Vineyard
Newly released State Papers show that the round was four years in the making.
'Bugger off to Turkey and leave us alone': DFA dark comedy ahead of Gulf War revealed in State Papers
A darkly comic document was released to the National Archives under the 30-year rule.
An elephant named Mimi gifted to President Hillery caused a row between Ireland and Tanzania
Hillery was presented with a live elephant as a gift by President Julius Nyerere.
Decommissioning demands during first IRA ceasefire ‘were pointless’
Senior security figures told Irish officials two months before the ceasefire ended that the insistence on prior decommissioning was unnecessary.
Republicans in the Maze allowed IRA prisoners build an escape tunnel 'as occupational therapy'
The Republican leadership had no intention of letting the prisoners escape.
Proposed African safari summit for NI politicians in '97 was labelled as 'rubbish' by John Bruton
Details of the plans and the taoiseach’s rejection are contained in State Papers released to the National Archives.
John Hume 'literally cried on Martin McGuinness's shoulder' amid health concerns in 1994
The SDLP leader later retired from public life after 40 years as an activist.
Her mother was 'dying to go' to Ireland after Prince Charles in 1995 but the queen said 'not just yet'
Charles visited Ireland less than a year after the Provisional IRA ceasefire in 1994.
A young Boris Johnson warned Irish officials about John Major's Peace Process plans in 1995
Johnson said that Major would come close to “stalling” the process.
'The trouble is that Gaddafi is mad': State papers reveal extent of Libya's support for PIRA
Gardai estimated there were six major arms shipments from Libya to the Provisional IRA.
British officials were 'apoplectic' after Gerry Adams was granted a US visa in 1994
London was said to be ‘apoplectic’ about the decision to grant the visa to the Sinn Féin leader.
British concerned Ireland could 'exaggerate' 1997 Famine apology to draw parallel with Bloody Sunday
Tony Blair received a ‘warm’ welcome for the apology made in Cork in 1997.
Mandela wrote letter to Haughey soon after his release asking him to postpone a decision on easing sanctions
Mandela was deputy president of the African National Congress (ANC) and was negotiating an end to the apartheid regime.
Inside 1989: What Irish business looked like 30 years ago
From Intel to Coillte, the State Papers show the foundation of modern Ireland.
'Dear Charlie': State Papers reveal 'warm congratulations' sent after Haughey regained power in 1989
While Iran sent flowers, Pakistan praised Haughey’s “outstanding qualities of wisdom and leadership” after the general election.
'Crumlin Village has become intolerable': 1980s letters show Dubliners' fears about high crime rate
People across Dublin raised concerns about spates of crime in their locality in the 1980s, State Papers reveal.
Rudy Giuliani's 'ineptitude' and 'lack of knowledge' criticised by Irish diplomat following 1989 lunch
Giuliani had just launched his 1989 mayoral campaign when a Government official lunched with the Republican politician.
Irish government ‘outraged’ over IRFU participation in South Africa sports event
Details of correspondence and government letters have been released by the National Archives.
Charlie Haughey's hotel suite during a visit to France was triple the cost of the room given to another minister
The government also took special care with the visit of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah.
'Beauty and splendour' of Adare Manor passed over as possible 1989 East-West summit venue
Charles Haughey wished “to reply personally” to Adare’s Managing Director.
'A statement of national pride' with 30-mile views: the unsuccessful plan to build Dublin's Eiffel Tower
The £40m building was projected to attract 500,000 visitors every year.
'Best, clearest, latest state-of-the-art binoculars in the world' for Haughey during Japan visit
Naturally, as Taoiseach, Haughey was given two free pairs.
Beneath the surface: the plan for a £15m underground shopping mall at the site of Nelson's Pillar
Details of the plan were released this week under the 30-year State Papers rule.
The 'unfortunate' 1989 interview with Northern Ireland secretary Peter Brooke
Peter Brooke said that it was “difficult to envisage a military defeat” of the IRA, and compared Ireland to Cyprus.
An IRA 'propaganda victory': US embassy was asked not to issue travel advice after 1980s rail bombings
The Irish and UK governments expressed their concern at a travel advisory being issued to US travellers, confidential documents show.
Thatcher told Haughey that Ireland's refusal to extradite IRA priest was 'a major setback'
Ireland and the UK disagreed over how to handle the case of Fr Patrick Ryan, and the US considered intervening, State papers reveal.
Peacekeepers' killings in Lebanon led government to halt Israeli plans to open Irish embassy
Irish troops have been deployed to the region with the UN since the 1970s.
'Take them to hell': The curious tale of the hidden Russian jewels and Dev's deal with the Bolsheviks
The jewels were given as security by Russian envoy in America in 1920 for a $20,000 loan advanced by the Irish Republic.