IRA Part 1 of 7 · 61-7606 sect 1-5 · p.179
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61-7606 is the FBI’s old main file on the Irish Republican Army. 61 is the classification (treason / internal security in that era). 7606 is the case number. When the paper got too thick they bound it into sections. Joshua Smith’s 2015 release is seven PDFs covering sections 1–32, from 1939 into the early 1990s. A serial is one document inside a section (a letter, teletype, or clipping). The file list follows those PDFs, not the serial numbers.
The 2015 drop includes a second PDF with an embedded text layer for some parts (_text). Same pages as the scan; that copy is omitted from the file list. Word-level OCR differs and search may still hit both.
Transcript
19
18
Mr.deValera's resolution states that once the Admission Oath of theTwenty-six County
=
M.-THE RETREAT FROM THE REPUBLIC.
and the Six-County Assemblies is removed,it becomesa question not ofprinciple，but of policy,
It was not until June, 1925, that Mr. de Valera ventured to put
it is injurious to the honour of lreland, to send representatives into any usurping legislature set
up byEnglish law in Ireland.
andprivately testing for a long time.At a meeting at that period,over which
The amendment was carried by 223 votes to 218; :but—so. averse
I presided,he hinted that it was in·Leinster House Ireland's destiny would
were the delegatesto afurther split-itreceivedbut177votes as against179
beworkedout.
on being put as a substantive motion. The President resigned next day and,
There is a situation, he said in substance. Many of you here must have heard me refer
toteamwork,perhapsbecausewhenIplayedRugbyfootballIwas oftenstruckwiththe disciplineit
instead of abiding by majority rule, helped to establish Fianna Fail. When
afforded.AsfarasI can estimateit,ourposition in the country isnotwithoutpromise,If there
the matter came up at Dail Eireann subsequently he was put in a minority
also. Refusing to accept the adverse vote as a vote of want of confidence,
be the substantial minority.In that position we could press for reforms,for increased Old Age
Pensions,betterconditionsforthefarmers,fortheworkersandotherthings thatwilloccur toyou
McSwiney with much reluctance, and carried.
allInthatway,we could earn thegratitude and the sympathy of the people.But,ifwegota
majority,I am afraid we might find ourselves up againstserious difficulties,andhave to take steps
Despite this disregard of majority rule, repeated again and again,
more drastic thanmy consciencewouidpernitmetotake:in other words,Iwouldnotbe worth
Mr. de Valera said at the inaugural meeting of Fianna Fail, May, 1926
my place on the team.He added,as stated,that he thought the destiny of Ireland would be worked
outin Leinster House.
r ,, n a ss
Deputies protested, and I answered that I had become uneasy about
" I am assuming that you know in substance the resolution whichI brought forward at the
the President's line of argument, but did not wish to interrupt him.
Thence-
forward,while I was in the chair,no one,I declared,would be permittedto
otherrepresentativesof thepeople anddeliberatewiththemin thenational interest,acceptingno
other constitutionthan thenaturalrightof thepeople to have thelawsunder whichtheylive
matter had taken that turn,I felt that all Deputies should have due notice.
We adjourned accordingly, after some exchanges, but when we met again
withoutthegravest consequences.Butthrearerightsvenofanndividualottospeak
the minutes of that meeting never materialised,so far as I know.But the
Deputies brought news of the unexpected change of front to all parts of the
although some inhigh placesmay forget thefact.
country,and so,among the motions for the forthcoming Sinn Fein Ard-
What Mr. de Valera did aim at actually,as has been shown, was to
Fheis, held in the Rathmines Town Hall, November 17th, 18th, 19th,was
this,from the Caherciveen Cumann:
mist of words,and went on to say:
Owingto insidiousrumours thatRepublicanswillentertheFreeStateParliament if the Oath
" Further delay on our part would be senseless.Some who oppose the policy I suggest
beremoved,we call onSinnFein togeta definite statementfromthe Governinentthattheywilt
saythatitisbeingbroughtforward toosoon,whileothersholdthatitisbeingbroughtforwardtoo
adhere to the policy of Cathal Brugha,Erskine Childers and their fellow-martyrs,and enter only
late..:.If,even now,when so many things have happenedwhich should incline Republicang
anIrish RepublicanParliament for allIreland."
one-halftheofficialbodyofSinnFeinwillnotacceptthepolicy'eventhoughthereisnosubstitute
Mr.de Valera was visiblyhostile.After a long debate and much
for Supposing that my proposals would have a more favourable reception at anearlier pariod?As
obvious:
fromwithin,Iaskwhathope of success is there inthatdirection，seeing thatthe objection thatis
That no change be made in the policy of the Sinn Fein urgaunisatiou at this Ard-Fheis ;
being made hy many to the proposals is that theyare contrary to Republican principle.He added
of the acceptance ofalegiance toa foreignKingand the Partition ofIreland,And ifat any timea
change ofpolicy isproposed,an Ard·Fheis must be summoned to deal with tbeproposal.
Of course there is no use in arguing with a person who professes to
s pou sn am .. : ureoxa spo ani ren uese isoue pino ao
the royal hopes of the Man of Destiny ??
unprincipled brother and getting back to it somehow under the unprincipled
brother's shield, and the Republicans who regard Leinster House as an
Another motion--from Stranorlar-—-called for the withdrawal of Docu-
ment No.2. The author of the Document opposed this also,and the motion
edifice they never owned and are determined not to enter.To refer to any
Deputy'there as the representative of a sovereign people-as he boldly did-
was withdrawn.In accordance witharesolutionfrom theRathmines Cumann,
is iike trifling'with the public intelligence.
I quote thepassage at such
callingon theExecutive toformulatewithin threemonths anational,econ-
length onlytocontrovert the statementthatSinnFeinthenhadnosubstitute
omic and cultural_programme,the Standing Committee instantly selected
a sub-committee, Fr. O'Flanagan being Chairman;I, Secretary, to draft
policy, a statement brazenly repeated for some reason on the eve of the
recent projected visit to theUnited States.Not only had it a policy, as I
a national programme. We worked at it assiduously, but Mr. de Valera
have shown, but Mr. de Valera at that inaugural meeting of Fianna Fail
never once showed the slightest interest in it. In the New Year, on the
took and presented essential parts of the Sinn Fein policy as his own.For
contrary, he took steps to have an Extraordinary Ard-Fheis-on the 10th
March,1926. For this he did not get the approval of the Standing Committee
example, he said :
' In 1921 when the negotiations in London were going on, and I believed there might be a
of Sinn Fein, of which he was President, and Fr. O'Flanagan had to circulate
successful issue to theseegotiations inaTreatywhichwecould accept,Isetout,naturally,toan
an amendment at the last moment without even seeing the text of the
President's motion.At the last meeting of the Standing Committee im-
numberofyoung menwho had obeyed thecall toremaininthe country and hadgiven oftheirbest
mediatelypreceding theExtraordinaryArd-FheisIintimated that the draft
and capital were allthatwererequired to set itgoing.Thewhole question oftransportwasawaiting
Programme was ready; and when the President disregarded the work on which
tobetackledcomprehensively，andwater,railandroadwaysco-ordinatedandimprovedsoasbest
by the organisation, I said I would bring it forward as an amendment. _And
distributed throughout thecountry to largenumbers.Therewasthevastwork ofre-afforestation.
so when I got up to second Fr. O'Flanagan's amendment at the Ard-Fheis
thePresident arbitrarilyruledmeoutoforder.
greatindustry-anindustryentitled to our special care,asitis thenatural staple industry of our
Then,too,
The Extraordinary Ard-Fheis, like the previous Ard-Fheis, having
official report in the Independent, which says:
18
Mr.deValera's resolution states that once the Admission Oath of theTwenty-six County
=
M.-THE RETREAT FROM THE REPUBLIC.
and the Six-County Assemblies is removed,it becomesa question not ofprinciple，but of policy,
It was not until June, 1925, that Mr. de Valera ventured to put
it is injurious to the honour of lreland, to send representatives into any usurping legislature set
up byEnglish law in Ireland.
andprivately testing for a long time.At a meeting at that period,over which
The amendment was carried by 223 votes to 218; :but—so. averse
I presided,he hinted that it was in·Leinster House Ireland's destiny would
were the delegatesto afurther split-itreceivedbut177votes as against179
beworkedout.
on being put as a substantive motion. The President resigned next day and,
There is a situation, he said in substance. Many of you here must have heard me refer
toteamwork,perhapsbecausewhenIplayedRugbyfootballIwas oftenstruckwiththe disciplineit
instead of abiding by majority rule, helped to establish Fianna Fail. When
afforded.AsfarasI can estimateit,ourposition in the country isnotwithoutpromise,If there
the matter came up at Dail Eireann subsequently he was put in a minority
also. Refusing to accept the adverse vote as a vote of want of confidence,
be the substantial minority.In that position we could press for reforms,for increased Old Age
Pensions,betterconditionsforthefarmers,fortheworkersandotherthings thatwilloccur toyou
McSwiney with much reluctance, and carried.
allInthatway,we could earn thegratitude and the sympathy of the people.But,ifwegota
majority,I am afraid we might find ourselves up againstserious difficulties,andhave to take steps
Despite this disregard of majority rule, repeated again and again,
more drastic thanmy consciencewouidpernitmetotake:in other words,Iwouldnotbe worth
Mr. de Valera said at the inaugural meeting of Fianna Fail, May, 1926
my place on the team.He added,as stated,that he thought the destiny of Ireland would be worked
outin Leinster House.
r ,, n a ss
Deputies protested, and I answered that I had become uneasy about
" I am assuming that you know in substance the resolution whichI brought forward at the
the President's line of argument, but did not wish to interrupt him.
Thence-
forward,while I was in the chair,no one,I declared,would be permittedto
otherrepresentativesof thepeople anddeliberatewiththemin thenational interest,acceptingno
other constitutionthan thenaturalrightof thepeople to have thelawsunder whichtheylive
matter had taken that turn,I felt that all Deputies should have due notice.
We adjourned accordingly, after some exchanges, but when we met again
withoutthegravest consequences.Butthrearerightsvenofanndividualottospeak
the minutes of that meeting never materialised,so far as I know.But the
Deputies brought news of the unexpected change of front to all parts of the
although some inhigh placesmay forget thefact.
country,and so,among the motions for the forthcoming Sinn Fein Ard-
What Mr. de Valera did aim at actually,as has been shown, was to
Fheis, held in the Rathmines Town Hall, November 17th, 18th, 19th,was
this,from the Caherciveen Cumann:
mist of words,and went on to say:
Owingto insidiousrumours thatRepublicanswillentertheFreeStateParliament if the Oath
" Further delay on our part would be senseless.Some who oppose the policy I suggest
beremoved,we call onSinnFein togeta definite statementfromthe Governinentthattheywilt
saythatitisbeingbroughtforward toosoon,whileothersholdthatitisbeingbroughtforwardtoo
adhere to the policy of Cathal Brugha,Erskine Childers and their fellow-martyrs,and enter only
late..:.If,even now,when so many things have happenedwhich should incline Republicang
anIrish RepublicanParliament for allIreland."
one-halftheofficialbodyofSinnFeinwillnotacceptthepolicy'eventhoughthereisnosubstitute
Mr.de Valera was visiblyhostile.After a long debate and much
for Supposing that my proposals would have a more favourable reception at anearlier pariod?As
obvious:
fromwithin,Iaskwhathope of success is there inthatdirection，seeing thatthe objection thatis
That no change be made in the policy of the Sinn Fein urgaunisatiou at this Ard-Fheis ;
being made hy many to the proposals is that theyare contrary to Republican principle.He added
of the acceptance ofalegiance toa foreignKingand the Partition ofIreland,And ifat any timea
change ofpolicy isproposed,an Ard·Fheis must be summoned to deal with tbeproposal.
Of course there is no use in arguing with a person who professes to
s pou sn am .. : ureoxa spo ani ren uese isoue pino ao
the royal hopes of the Man of Destiny ??
unprincipled brother and getting back to it somehow under the unprincipled
brother's shield, and the Republicans who regard Leinster House as an
Another motion--from Stranorlar-—-called for the withdrawal of Docu-
ment No.2. The author of the Document opposed this also,and the motion
edifice they never owned and are determined not to enter.To refer to any
Deputy'there as the representative of a sovereign people-as he boldly did-
was withdrawn.In accordance witharesolutionfrom theRathmines Cumann,
is iike trifling'with the public intelligence.
I quote thepassage at such
callingon theExecutive toformulatewithin threemonths anational,econ-
length onlytocontrovert the statementthatSinnFeinthenhadnosubstitute
omic and cultural_programme,the Standing Committee instantly selected
a sub-committee, Fr. O'Flanagan being Chairman;I, Secretary, to draft
policy, a statement brazenly repeated for some reason on the eve of the
recent projected visit to theUnited States.Not only had it a policy, as I
a national programme. We worked at it assiduously, but Mr. de Valera
have shown, but Mr. de Valera at that inaugural meeting of Fianna Fail
never once showed the slightest interest in it. In the New Year, on the
took and presented essential parts of the Sinn Fein policy as his own.For
contrary, he took steps to have an Extraordinary Ard-Fheis-on the 10th
March,1926. For this he did not get the approval of the Standing Committee
example, he said :
' In 1921 when the negotiations in London were going on, and I believed there might be a
of Sinn Fein, of which he was President, and Fr. O'Flanagan had to circulate
successful issue to theseegotiations inaTreatywhichwecould accept,Isetout,naturally,toan
an amendment at the last moment without even seeing the text of the
President's motion.At the last meeting of the Standing Committee im-
numberofyoung menwho had obeyed thecall toremaininthe country and hadgiven oftheirbest
mediatelypreceding theExtraordinaryArd-FheisIintimated that the draft
and capital were allthatwererequired to set itgoing.Thewhole question oftransportwasawaiting
Programme was ready; and when the President disregarded the work on which
tobetackledcomprehensively，andwater,railandroadwaysco-ordinatedandimprovedsoasbest
by the organisation, I said I would bring it forward as an amendment. _And
distributed throughout thecountry to largenumbers.Therewasthevastwork ofre-afforestation.
so when I got up to second Fr. O'Flanagan's amendment at the Ard-Fheis
thePresident arbitrarilyruledmeoutoforder.
greatindustry-anindustryentitled to our special care,asitis thenatural staple industry of our
Then,too,
The Extraordinary Ard-Fheis, like the previous Ard-Fheis, having
official report in the Independent, which says: