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Volume 6 1939~1941

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No. 184 NAI DFA Holy See Embassy 20/34

Code telegram from the Department of External Affairs to William Warnock (Berlin) sent via the Holy See Legation
(Copy)

Dublin, 28 May 1940

All parties have promised Government closest cooperation in all measures taken for defence and security of country Mr. de Valera in Galway yesterday said 'there is a small group who appear to be meditating treason it does not matter what reason they may advance instead of following the footsteps of Pearse they will be execrated in Irish history for ever like Dermot McMurrough'1 he asked the whole people to stand behind the Government in defence of the country should it be attacked. Repeat to Berlin.

1 Dermot McMurrough (1110-71), King of Leinster, who, having been ousted by Tiernan O'Rourke, sought the assistance of King Henry II of England to regain his title and in doing so initiated the sequence of events which led to the Norman invasion of Ireland and Henry himself becoming Lord of Ireland. The Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169 is in nationalist Irish historiography portrayed as the beginning of English dominance in Ireland.


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