Madam, - In his review (October 1st) of The Politics of the Irish Civil War by Bill Kissane, Garrett FitzGerald writes:
"When on the evening of December 7th my father and Eamon Duggan handed him (De Valera) the text of the Treaty. . . they recognised from his expression that he had already made up his mind to oppose it".
During my time as curator of the Cork Public Museum, Tom Barry was a regular visitor to my office. Sometimes we discussed political matters and I sometimes made a note of what he had said. One such note is dated "6/12/1971", the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty:
"Tom Barry told me that he had been in London during the Treaty discussions. When he overheard the words 'Governor General', he suspected at once that an agreement had been reached.
"He informed Michael Collins that he would inform De Valera what was happening. Collins curtly told him to do as he pleased. Tom Barry departed to Dublin and went straight to Greystones. Mrs De Valera received him - it was early in the morning and Dev was still in bed. When he came downstairs, Tom Barry told of his suspicions about what was afoot in London. De Valera listened attentively and then said:'Tom, all that we can do is our best in all the circumstances'. Tom was taken aback by the reply".
Tom Barry often read the headings in his newspaper The Irish Times when he arrived in my office. One morning, his eye lit upon an item referring to the IRA. He put the paper down and said:
"Séamus, I am afraid that history will condemn us. Once the Treaty was signed we should have backed Mick and worked from there. But now I am talking with hindsight!" - Yours, etc,
SÉAMUS Ó COÍGLIGH, Bóthar Wilton, Corcaigh.