Widow of murdered British ambassador referred to as ‘pushy’ by private secretary

The widow of British ambassador Christopher Ewart-Biggs, who was killed in an IRA landmine explosion near his residence in Dublin in 1976, was considered “pushy” and “bothersome” by an official in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Jane Ewart-Biggs wrote to then taoiseach Charles Haughey at the end of 1979 asking him to become a sponsor of a memorial fund named after her husband.

A draft letter in response to Mrs Ewart-Biggs' request was passed on to the private secretary to the minister for foreign affairs with a cover note asking for an opinion and saying there was no reason why the taoiseach should not accept
the invitation.

The private secretary responded in a handwritten message at the end of the note addressed directly to the taoiseach.

“Mrs Ewart-Biggs is one of those well-intentioned but pushy individuals whose attentions can be bothersome at times,” he said. “While the trust’s aims are unexceptional you might have preferred to remain uninvolved in the absence of her invitation. However, since she has issued it I recommend that you accept.”

The message went on to say a refusal could be misinterpreted and they could ensure that the sponsorship “does not involve you in any burdensome activity”.

“I should however point out that in the past the trust has promoted lectures by Conor Cruise O’Brien which were along lines divergent from government policy,” the private secretary warned.

The files show Mr Haughey wrote to Mrs Ewart-Biggs in January 1980 to say that since his predecessor Jack Lynch had been a sponsor of the trust, he did not think it would be desirable that he should.

“I feel sure you will understand,” Mr Haughey said.