Volume 9 1948~1951


Doc No.
Date
Subject

No. 545 NAI DFA Irish News Agency File 52

Letter from J.P. Gallagher1 to James P. McGuinness2 (London)

Dublin, 20 February 1951

Dear Mr. McGuinness,
I killed your story of today about Michael O'Leary the Irish V.C. who is in hospital.3

You may wonder about this and I should explain that we are supersensitive about anything that could be regarded as publicity for recruiting for the British Army.

I do not want to issue anything which tends to glorify the British Army as an outlet for Irish endeavour.

I am sure you will entirely understand.

1 General Manager, Irish News Agency.

2 London Editor, Irish News Agency.

3 Michael O'Leary VC (1890-1961), born in Inchigeela, Macroom, Co. Cork, served with the Irish Guards and was awarded the Victoria Cross for single-handedly charging and destroying two German machine-gun positions near the French village of Cruinchy on 1 February 1915.