Dutch businessman Tiede Herrema returns to Limerick next week 30 years after his kidnap in the city by IRA mavericks.
The story of Dr Herrema's kidnap made international headlines after he was abducted near his home in Limerick by Eddie Gallagher and Marion Coyle on October 4th, 1975.
Dr Herrema will donate his personal documents on the abduction to the Special Collections Library at the University of Limerick in a ceremony next Tuesday.
These include newspaper cuttings, letters, and other papers from the time of the kidnap and subsequent trial.
The letters include some from former taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and ministers in his coalition government.
The library is already home to rare works by authors including Frank McCourt, Jim Kemmy and Kate O'Brien. Ken Bergin of the library said Dr Herrema's documents will offer a unique insight into his traumatic kidnap, which captured the imagination of the nation in 1975.
"We are greatly honoured to have this archive at the University of Limerick. It really shows how meticulous he was, as many of the pieces are in several languages, including English, Dutch and German. It's an interesting snapshot of an extraordinary period in recent Irish history."
The former chief executive of the Ferenka factory was abducted near his Castletroy home in Limerick as he was driving to work.
One of the biggest security operations in the history of the State swung into action and the kidnappers were eventually traced to a house in Monasterevin, Co Kildare.
The siege at the house ended peacefully more than two weeks later. Dr Herrema, whose kidnap ordeal lasted almost a month, was shaken but unharmed.
Eddie Gallagher and Marion Coyle, who had demanded the release of three republican prisoners, were later sentenced to 20 years and 15 years in prison respectively.
Dr Herrema was made a Freeman of Limerick City. He eventually moved back to The Netherlands.
The much-troubled Ferenka factory in Limerick closed shortly after his departure with the loss of some 1,400 jobs.
Dr Herrema has been a regular visitor to Ireland and has often spoken compassionately about his abductors whom he believed received excessive jail sentences.