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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 March 2016
On 7 September 1948 the newly appointed Taoiseach, John A. Costello, the leader of a coalition government in which his party Fine Gael was the senior partner, announced in Ottawa that he intended to repeal Eire’s External Relations Act, and thus sever its final tenuous link with the crown. The External Relations Act ‘empowered the Executive Council of the Irish Free State to authorise the use of the king’s signature on the letters of credence to be presented to heads of foreign states by Irish diplomatic representatives’. Eamon de Valera, Costello’s predecessor, had introduced the External Relations Act in 1936, and had regarded it as a device that might help to end partition. The measure magnified Ireland’s constitutional ambiguity, but with its repeal the twenty-six counties would assuredly become a republic outside the Commonwealth.
1 Mansergh, Nicholas, The Commonwealth experience, ii: From British to multiracial Commonwealth (2nd ed., London, 1982), p. 138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2 Ibid., p. 138; Mansergh, Nicholas, Survey of British Commonwealth affairs: problems of wartime co-operation and post-war change, 1939-1952 (London, 1958), pp 262-3,267.Google Scholar
3 Sir Charles Dixon, ‘The departure of Éire from the British Commonwealth of Nations’, Aug. 1949 (P.R.O.,DO 35/3979); see also McCabe, Ian, A diplomatic history of Ireland, 1948-49: the Republic, the Commonwealth and NATO (Dublin, 1991), chs 1-3.Google Scholar
4 Mansergh, Survey, p. 281; Rugby to Machtig, 1 Dec. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3969).
5 Downey, James, ‘MacBride tells of steps which led to Republic leaving Commonwealth’ in Irish Times, 1-2 Jan. 1979Google Scholar; Rugby to Machtig, 21 Dec. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3969).
6 Evatt to Mannix (draft), [Jan. 1949] (Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Evatt collection, External Affairs — Ireland).
7 McCabe, Diplomatic hist. Ire., p. 38.
8 O’Brien, John, ‘Australia and the repeal of the External Relations Act, 1948’ in Kiernan, Colm (ed.), Australia and Ireland, 1788-1988: bicentenary essays (Dublin, 1986), pp 252-66Google Scholar; idem, ‘Ireland’s departure from the British Commonwealth’ in Round Table, no. 306 (Apr. 1988), pp 179-94. Another account of the Australian reaction is to be found in Quirke, Noel, ‘Australia‘s role in Ireland’s declaration of a republic and withdrawal from the Commonwealth, 1948-49’ in MacDonagh, Oliver and Mandle, W. F. (eds), Irish-Australian studies: papers delivered at the Fifth Irish-Australian Conference (Canberra, 1989), pp 284–303Google Scholar. See also Fanning, Ronan, ‘The response of the London and Belfast governments to the declaration of the Republic of Ireland, 1948-49’ in International Affairs, lviii, no. 1 (winter 1981-2), pp 95–114CrossRefGoogle Scholar. For an alternative interpretation, which lays less emphasis on the role of Evatt and other Commonwealth leaders, see Dean, D. W., ‘Final exit? Britain, Eire, the Commonwealth and the repeal of the External Relations Act, 1945-1949’ in In. Imp. & Comm. Hist., xx (1992),pp 391–418.Google Scholar
9 Moore, R. J., Making the new Commonwealth (Oxford, 1987).Google Scholar
10 Pickersgill, J. W. and Forster, D. F., The Mackenzie King record, iv: 1947-1948 (Toronto, 1970), p. 411.Google Scholar
11 Gordon Walker to Attlee, [Jan. 1949] (P.R.O., DO 130/105).
12 Archer to Machtig, 13 Oct. 1948 (ibid., DO 35/3960).
13 Rugby to Machtig, 25 Nov. 1948 (ibid., DO 35/3963). For Canada’s response see McEvoy, F. J., ‘Canada, Ireland and the Commonwealth: the declaration of the Irish Republic’ in I.H.S., xxiv, no. 96 (Nov. 1985), pp 506-27.Google Scholar
14 Pickersgill, & Forster, , Mackenzie King record, iv, 386-7,403-4,408.Google Scholar
15 Gordon Walker to Morrison, 13 Oct. 1948 (Churchill College, Cambridge, Gordon Walker papers, GNWR 3/1).
16 Gordon Walker, diary, 7 Jan. 1949 (ibid., GNWR 1/7); see also Moore, Making the new Commonwealth, p. 167.
17 Brook to Attlee, 8 Oct. 1948 (P.R.O., CAB 134/118). Dean, ‘Final exit?’, p. 406, is correct in pointing to Evatt’s failure to understand the Irish position.
18 Evatt to Attlee, 12 Oct. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3962).
19 Cable 105, U.K. representative to Éire to Commonwealth Relations Office, 12 Oct. 1948 (ibid., DO 35/3960), quoted in Quirke, ‘Australia’s role’, p. 292.
20 Attlee to Noel-Baker, 13 Oct. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3962).
21 Machtig, note, 13 Oct. 1948 (ibid.); Cable 106, U.K. representative to Éire to Commonwealth Relations Office, 15 Oct. 1948 (ibid.).
22 Machtig to Noel-Baker, 15 Oct. 1948 (ibid.), quoted in O’Brien, ‘Ireland’s departure’, p. 187.
23 Machtig to Noel-Baker, 15 Oct. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3962).
24 Louw to MacBride, 26 Oct. 1948 (N.A.I. DT S14387A). See also Noel-Baker, ‘Record of conversation with Mr Louw of South Africa, 15th October, 1948’ (P.R.O., DO 121/18).
25 MacBride to Evatt, 15 Oct. 1948 (Flinders University, Evatt collection, Evatt — Overseas Trip — 1948).
26 Downey, ‘MacBride tells of steps which led to Republic leaving Commonwealth’.
27 Fanning, ‘Response’, p. 95.
28 O’Brien, ‘Australia & the repeal of the External Relations Act’, p. 258.
29 Cablegram Special E17, Evatt to Chifley, 14 Oct. 1948, Special ‘E’ Series (Historical Documents Project Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Canberra, now at National Archives of Australia (N.A.A., A9420, 5)). The word ‘Canada’ has been added to the original cable, presumably by someone in the Department of External Affairs, Canberra.
30 T. J. Kiernan to F. H. Boland, 25 Oct. 1948 (N.A.I., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D/l/11).
31 Cablegram Special El8, Evatt to Chifley, 17 Oct. 1948, Special ‘E’ Series (N.A.A., A9420,5).
32 Aide-mémoire, 22 Oct. 1948 (N.A.A., A1838/283 TS 899/6). See also aide-mémoire, 20 Oct. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3964).
33 Kiernan to Boland, 25 Oct. 1948 (N.A.I., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D/l/11).
34 Edwards, P. G., Prime ministers and diplomats: the making of Australian foreign policy, 1901-1949 (Melbourne, 1983), p. 173.Google Scholar
35 Kiernan to Boland, 25 Oct. 1948 (N.A.I., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D/l/11). See also the comment of the Sunday Independent, 17 Feb. 1946: ‘Nearly half the [Australian] cabinet is of Irish descent … there is ready-made a strong body of pro-Irish opinion and sentiment.’
36 O’Brien, ‘Australia & the repeal of the External Relations Act’, p. 258.
37 Cable 1022, U.K. high commissioner in Canada to Commonwealth Relations Office, 24 Nov. 1948 (P.R.O., CAB 129/31 Part 1); Cable 523, U.K. high commissioner in New Zealand to Commonwealth Relations Office, 24 Nov. 1948 (ibid.). For Australia’s response see Cable 768, acting U.K. high commissioner in Australia to Commonwealth Relations Office, 22 Nov. 1948 (ibid.); Cable 772, acting U.K. high commissioner in Australia to Commonwealth Relations Office, 23 Nov. 1948 (ibid.).
38 Sunday Independent, 24 Oct. 1948; Cable 60, Department of External Affairs to Kiernan, [received 27 Oct. 1948] (N.A.I., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D/l/U); Cable 47, Kiernan to Department of External Affairs, 28 Oct. 1948 (ibid.); Kiernan, minute, 24 Jan. 1949 (ibid.).
39 Brien, ‘Ireland’s departure’, p. 186. A copy of the proposed British reply is at P.R.O., DO 35/3964.
40 Quoted in McCabe, Diplomatic hist. Ire., p. 73.
41 Cable 390, Shawcross to Attlee, 12 Nov. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3964).
42 McCabe, Diplomatic hist. Ire., pp 53-4.
43 Cable 390, Shawcross to Attlee, 12 Nov. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3964); Cable 391, Shawcross to Attlee, 12 Nov. 1948 (ibid.); Brook to Attlee, 12 Nov. 1948 (ibid.). See also McCabe, Diplomatic hist. Ire., pp 73-4.
44 Downey, ‘MacBride tells of steps which led to Republic leaving Commonwealth’.
45 CM (48) 72nd Conclusions, ‘Extract from conclusions of cabinet meeting held on Saturday, 13th Nov. 1948’ (P.R.O., DO 35/3964).
46 Downey, ‘MacBride tells of steps which led to Republic leaving Commonwealth’.
47 CP (48) 272, ‘Éire’s future relations with the Commonwealth’, 17 Nov. 1948, Annexe A: ‘Note of meeting held at the British Embassy, Paris, on Sunday, 14th Nov., 1948, at 11 a.m.’, p. 7 (P.R.O., CAB 129/31 Part 1).
48 CP (48) 272,17 Nov. 1948, Appendix II to Annexe B, Draft declaration, pp 13-14 (ibid.).
49 CP (48) 272, 17 Nov. 1948, ‘Memorandum of the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations’, p. 3 (P.R.O., CAB 129/31).
50 Thomas O’Brien to Costello, 22 Oct. 1948 (N.A.I., DT S14387A).
51 G. Wright to Costello, 19 Nov. 1948 (ibid.).
52 See letters in N.A.I., DT S14387 A-B. See also Pritt to Younger, 4 Nov. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3947 B), for concerns of Irish residents in Britain.
53 CP (48) 272, 17 Nov. 1948, ‘Memorandum by the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations’, 17 Nov. 1948, p. 3 (P.R.O., CAB 129/31).
54 CP (48) 272,17 Nov. 1948, Annexe C: ‘Note of a meeting held in the offices of the Right Hon. H. V. Evatt at the Palais de Chaillot, Paris, on Tuesday, 16th November, 1948, at 5 p.m.’, p. 16 (ibid.).
55 Cablegram 4469, Evatt to Chifley, 17 Dec. 1948 (N.A.A., A1838,851/4/1/3).
56 Extract from a speech of the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. J. B. Chifley, in the Australian House of Representatives, 26 November 1948, outlining Australia’s reaction to the secession of the Republic of Ireland from the British Commonwealth’, printed in Mansergh, Nicholas (ed.), Documents and speeches on British Commonwealth affairs, 1931-1952 (London, 1953), p. 811.Google Scholar
57 Hasluck, Paul, Diplomatic witness: Australian foreign affairs, 1941-1947 (Carlton, 1980), pp 25-6.Google Scholar
58 Kiernan, minute, 24 Jan. 1949 (N.A.I., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D/l/11).
59 CP (48) 272, 17 Nov. 1948, Annexe A: ‘Note of meeting held at the British Embassy’, p. 6 (P.R.O., CAB 129/31 Part 1).
60 J. G. Laithwaite, ‘Note for record’, 3 Sept. 1948 (ibid., CAB 21/1818).
61 Note of a discussion at the Hotel Vendôme, Paris, at 10 a.m. 17th November, 1948’(ibid., PREM 8/1008).
62 Brawley, Seán, The white peril: foreign relations and Asian immigration to Australasia and North America, 1919-1978 (Kensington, 1995), pp 178–251Google Scholar; Hasluck, Diplomatic witness, pp 213-14.
63 Eayrs, James, In defence of Canada: peacemaking and deterrence (Toronto, 1972), pp 242-3.Google Scholar
64 I. M. R. MacLennan, note of file, 23 Nov. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3965). See also McCabe, Diplomatic hist. Ire., p. 86.
65 U.K. representative to Éire to Commonwealth Relations Office, 19 Nov. 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3961).
66 Edwards, Owen Dudley, ‘Britain’s reaction to Irish leaving Commonwealth’ in Irish Times, 1-2 Jan. 1979Google Scholar; see also O’Farrell, Patrick, ‘Irish-Australian diplomatic relations’ in Quadrant, no. 151, xxiv, no.3 (Mar. 1980), pp ll–12Google Scholar; McCabe, Diplomatic hist. Ire., p. 79.
67 Kiernan, minute, 28 May 1948 (N.A.I., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D/l/5).
68 O’Brien, ‘Australia & the repeal of the External Relations Act’, p. 257.
69 Crockett, Peter, Evatt:a life (Melbourne, 1993), pp 73, 229, 325Google Scholar; Boland, T. P., James Duhig (St Lucia, 1986), pp 309-15.Google Scholar
70 Dalziel, Allan, Evatt the enigma (Melbourne, 1967), pp 56-7.Google Scholar
71 Kiernan to Boland, 5 Dec. 1946 (N.A.I., DFA, Secretary’s Office, P15 (ii)).
72 Dalziel, Evatt, p. 58.
73 Kiernan, minute, 3 Feb. 1950 (N.A.I., DFA 313/17).
74 Kiernan, minute, 24 Jan. 1949 (ibid., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D/l/11).
75 Evatt to Mannix (draft), [Jan. 1949] (Flinders University, Evatt collection, External Affairs — Ireland). It is unclear whether Evatt actually sent the letter.
76 Kiernan, minute, 1 July 1949 (N.A.I., DFA 313/17).
77 Kiernan, minute, 10 Mar. 1949 (ibid.).
78 O’Brien is thus mistaken when he remarks that Evatt ‘was not of Irish extraction’ (‘Ireland’s departure’, pp 179, 184). See Crockett, Evatt, pp 32, 73; Tennant, Kylie, Evatt: politics and justice (Sydney, 1970), pp 3, 34.Google Scholar
79 Quoted in O’Brien, ‘Australia & the repeal of the External Relations Act’, p. 263.
80 [Kiernan], ‘Bishop Eris O’Brien’, [late Jan. 1949] (N.A.I., DFA 313/17/2).
81 Gordon Walker to Attlee, [Jan. 1949] (P.R.O., DO 130/105).
82 Archer to Liesching and Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, 11 Jan. 1949 (ibid., DO 35/3972). See also various notes by Archer and Gordon Walker (ibid.).
83 Kiernan, minute, 30 May 1949 (N.A.I., DFA, Canberra Embassy, D6).
84 Cable 255, U.K. high commissioner in Australia to Commonwealth Relations Office, 3 May 1948 (P.R.O., DO 35/3929).
85 Cable 249, Commonwealth Relations Office to U.K. high commissioner in Australia, 20 Apr. 1948 (ibid.).
86 McCabe, Diplomatic hist. Ire., pp 14,51.
87 Tobin, G. M., ‘The sea-divided Gael: a study of the Irish home rule movement in Victoria and New South Wales, 1880-1916’ (unpublished M.A. thesis, Australian National University, Canberra, 1969), pp 298-9.Google Scholar
88 Cablegram Austdel 275, Heydon to Burton, 23 Nov. 1948, Document 82, printed in Andre, Pamela (ed.), Australia and the postwar world: the Commonwealth, Asia and the Pacific: documents, 1948-49 (Canberra, 1998), p. 136.Google Scholar
89 I am indebted to the Australian Research Council and the Managers of the Smuts Memorial Fund, University of Cambridge, for funding for this research; to the Historical Documents Project Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia, for access to their files; and to Mr Ian Hancock and Dr Nicole McLennan for their helpful comments on a draft of this article.
