Tomás Ó Fiaich visits USA

ARCHBISHOP Tomás Ó Fiaich visited the United States in May 1979. He was invited to stay at the Irish embassy in Washington by Ambassador Seán Donlon, but he initially declined the invitation.

“I have maintained contact since he taught me history at Maynooth in 1958-60,” Mr Donlon reported.

Nevertheless the archbishop and his secretary Fr Jimmy Clyne arrived on Donlon’s doorstep on May 8, 1979 and stayed for two days.