MacBride memoirs to be published in 2005

The memoirs of the Nobel Peace Prize winner Seán MacBride are to be released for publication to mark the centenary of his birth.

Ms Caitríona Lawlor, a former personal assistant to MacBride, who was made sole beneficiary of his papers upon his death in January 1988, said she decided to make the records public "as a contribution to commemorating him".

In a letter to The Irish Times today, Ms Lawlor said she "always welcomed students who are looking into various aspects of Seán MacBride's career".

However, "as a tribute to the growing interest in Seán MacBride's role during the first half of the 20th century, I have decided to release for publication his memoir, albeit incomplete, which offers an accurate in-depth chronological account of MacBride's contribution to the development of this nation".

Ms Lawlor says she had agreed with an agent to have the book published in Autumn 2005.

Ms Lawlor, who worked for MacBride from January 1977, said the revolutionary-turned-peace campaigner had made her the custodian of his archive. "He did trust me and I don't think it's wrong for me to release the memoirs at this time as a tribute. There has not been an accurate in-depth account of his contribution to date."

MacBride, who was born in Paris in 1904, founded the republican party Clann na Poblachta. A former chief of staff of the IRA, who later served in senior positions in the UN, he was reputed to have been the only person to have been awarded both the Nobel and Lenin peace prizes.