As we know now for sure, the Vatican forced the retirement of John Charles McQuaid in 1972 as Archbishop of Dublin. What the archives do not reveal, however, is that the then President, Eamon de Valera, went to the Archbishop's residence in Killiney.
"Your Grace," de Valera is supposed to have said, "I was surprised to learn of your retirement." To which McQuaid replied: "Not nearly as surprised as I was."
