Eoin Neeson believes the forensic examination of RogerCasement's so-called "Black Diaries" seriously diminishes the strength ofthe forgery thesis
While the results of Prof Bill McCormack's welcome investigation of the Roger Casement so-called "Black Diaries" have taken us another - long - step towards a conclusion of the mystery, they have not ended the increasingly unsavoury controversy surrounding this extraordinary man.
It is regrettable that this great pioneer in the field of human rights is more remembered today because of his alleged degeneracy and sexual perversion than because of his years of monumental and mould-breaking humanitarian work in two continents, or for his patriotism.
For years I have been a vocal and public proponent of the argument that the Black Diaries were forgeries, part of the campaign of character assassination carried out by the British government of the day against Casement. And for that reason I have been, wrongly, associated with what someone has called "the diehards".
However, the evidence supporting this argument seemed to me, on the balance of probabilities, to be overwhelming:
The Black Diaries were in the hands of Scotland Yard's Special Branch for some 18 months before being disclosed and circulated during his trial;
The head of the Special Branch, Basil Thomson, worked in close association with Capt W.R. Hall, head of British Naval Intelligence and the British Attorney General (and sometime member of the treasonable "Provisional Government of Ulster") W.E. Smith. These three had direct and associated connection with the counter-espionage headquarters at Crewe, which engaged in wartime forgery, false propaganda and disinformation;
The British mistakenly believed that Casement was "the leader" of the 1916 Rising;
It was important from the British point of view to discredit Casement as much as possible in the eyes of world public opinion (particularly the United States) before hanging him;
Legal safeguards of accused persons were set aside in Casement's case (bringing him from Irish to English jurisdiction; being prosecuted by the Attorney General in person; official character assassination during the course of the trial, etc);
Prior to the dissemination of the Black Diaries during his trial, there was no hint from any source of deviant behaviour by Casement;
Those who knew him rejected the allegations;
There were alleged reports of self-confessed forgeries.
Arrayed against what was known of Casement and his character this was strong evidence. But, and as I always emphasised, it was also circumstantial, even conjectural. The welcome results of Bill McCormack's forensic examination of the diaries unquestionably alters this perspective.
While his analyses may not be fully comprehensive, they seem to me to be sufficiently so to enhance substantially the view that the diaries are in fact Casement's and to seriously diminish the strength of the forgery thesis.
A definitive outcome may still remain in the balance but most people open-minded on the question - in which I include myself - must now be less inclined than hitherto to support the forgery theory.
In the light of Prof McCormack's investigation, it seems likely that the forgery theory developed from defensive shock and outrage by Casement's supporters, but primarily because of the barbaric use by the British authorities of these diaries to discredit Casement during his trial. But some facts are clear.
Firstly, Casement was a distinguished and much honoured international humanitarian and patriot whose record in these fields speaks for itself.
Secondly, his alleged homosexuality does not affect this distinction.
Thirdly, in the context of the period, he would have had little option but, if true, to have concealed such inclinations and adopt a species of dual personality.
Without final, conclusive, evidence one way or the other - and I repeat it now looks as if the diaries are Casement's - there is little point in further speculation. It would be a pity if, rather than simply establishing the truth for what it is, an outcome of any conclusive investigation was, as already seems to be on the cards, for Casement to be portrayed merely as some kind of homosexual icon rather than as the great man that he was.
Eoin Neeson is a writer and a former director of the Government Information Bureau.