Volume 10 1951~1957


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 149 NAI TSCH/2/2/14

Extract from the minutes of a meeting of the Cabinet
'An Tóstal: Directions sought by An Bord Fáilte
concerning Six-County participation and anti-partition propaganda'
(G.C. 6/118) (Item 5) (S15297)

Dublin, 17 October 1952

Following consideration of a memorandum dated the 11th October, 1952,1 submitted by the Minister for Industry and Commerce in regard to directions sought by An Bord Fáilte2 relating to An Tóstal, 1953,3 it was agreed that the Minister should inform An Bord Fáilte

  1. that, in response to an inquiry received from the Irish Anti-Partition League, they should reply giving an outline of the proposed events of An Tóstal and explaining that, while anti-partition propaganda will not form an official part of the arrangements, the League could avail of the excellent opportunity provided by An Tóstal to distribute anti-partition information to the many visitors who, it is hoped, will come to Ireland next year;
  2. that they should not take any initiative in regard to co-operation or consultation, in connexion with An Tóstal, with the Tourist Board or other official or semi-official body in the Six Counties but that, should requests be made by such bodies for co-operation or consultation, An Bord Fáilte should furnish to the Minister a full report on the matter to enable appropriate instructions to be issued to An Bord Fáilte;
  3. that he sees no reason why An Bord Fáilte should not facilitate the participation in An Tóstal of local nationalist groups in the Six Counties, provided that the initiative is taken by the groups and that it does not involve the making of requests to the Six-County Tourist Board or to any other official organization in the Six Counties;
  4. that he sees no objection to reference being made in the official programme of An Tóstal to any events which are organized by nationalist groups in the Six Counties; and
  5. that he does not approve of the suggestion by An Bord Fáilte that they should issue a letter to public representatives and other prominent persons in the Six Counties explaining the objects of An Tóstal and asking for their co-operation.

1 Not printed.

2 The Irish Tourist Board, renamed 'An Bord Fáilte' in 1952.

3 A country-wide cultural festival held in 1953 with the aim of drawing tourists to Ireland.