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UCD Archives has specialised in the acquisition of private paper collections associated with the history and development of the modern Irish State. It now preserves the papers of a great many Irish public figures including members of government and the judiciary, presidents and European Union Commissioners. Major collections of value to research on the Northern Ireland Peace Process are:(i) PJ Hillery Papers (1943-1995) – these papers were deposited by the former president in the archives in 1991 and 1997. Included in the eighteen boxes is material relating to his period as Minister for Foreign Affairs, including a comprehensive series of files of confidential memoranda (mostly from Éamon Gallagher), 1969-72, concerning Northern Ireland and the worsening security situation. Also included are memoranda, notes, speeches and correspondence relating to Hillery’s efforts to include Northern Ireland on the agenda of the General Assembly and General Committee of the UN, 1969.(ii) Garret FitzGerald Papers (1973-77), forty-four boxes – besides his strong European inclinations, FitzGerald had a sustained interest in Northern Ireland, spending the day before his appointment as Minister for External Affairs in Belfast. He was to break with precedent during his tenure as Minister for External Affairs by visiting Northern Ireland regularly, as did members of his Department, to meet and build relationships with representatives of all political and social groups. Among the forty-four boxes are papers relating to his tenure as Minister for External Affairs, 1973-77, including: preparations for the Tripartite conference at Sunningdale, December 1973, Conference proceedings, the implementation of the Agreement, post-Sunningdale developments including the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention. There is also much material on contacts between the Department of External Affairs and political and community representatives in Northern Ireland.(iii) T.K Whitaker Papers (1959-69) – is an Irish economist and former pulic servant, credited with a pivotal role in the economic development of Ireland. A native of Co. Down, he provided insights and advice to successive governments on Northern Ireland policy. In 1965, Whitaker helped to facilitate and attended the historic meeting of An Taoiseach, Seán Lemass and the Northern Ireland Prime Minister, Captain Terence O’Neill, at Stormont. Included is a file entitled ‘Northern Ireland letters and memos, 1965-Sept 1969’. This contains memoranda, drafts of speeches, letters and other documents pertaining to Northern Ireland. It includes drafts of statements concerning the civil rights movement and the escalation of violence in 1969, as well as a document created by Whitaker entitled ‘The Constitutional Position of Northern in IV parts’.(iv) Conor Cruise O’Brien Papers (1937-82), twenty-one boxes – includes material relating to his time as Labour Party TD in Dublin North-East (1969-77) and Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (1973-77) such as Labour Party affairs including parliamentary party meetings and policy with particular reference to Northern Ireland.(v) The John Whyte Archive is a collection of structured interviews with leading figures in the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement. It was undertaken by the Institute of British Irish Studies at UCD. A grant was awarded to the Institute from the Dr John Henry Whyte Trust Fund in February 2006 for the transcription of a large number of these cassettes. Thanks to further injection of funds from the Trust, transcription has now been completed and digitisation is now underway. The tapes are stored in the UCD archive and will, in due course, be available to researchers, subject to the particular time embargoes imposed by interviewees.
UCD Archives acquires the records of significant organisations such as political parties, trade unions, professional and cultural associations and sporting bodies.
All researchers must have a current reader's ticket and an appointment. A reader's ticket will be issued on a researcher's initial visit after the completion of a research application form. It is valid until the end of the calendar year of issue. Tickets must be renewed annually.Open: Monday–Thursday 10.00–17.00, Confirmed appointment necessary
Tel: +353 1 7167555Email:archives@ucd.ie