State Papers: Bill Clinton's Christmas tree and John Bruton avoids a trip to Cork

The Maze Prison, Bill Clinton, John Major and Albert Reynolds all feature State Paper documents released today. Pictures: AP Photo/Laurent Rebours), Adam Butler/PA

Tuesday saw the publication of dozens of documents contained within the 'State Papers' — a tranche of memos, minutes, and secret letters written by politicians and top civil servants during their tenures.

The records from the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Office of the Attorney General, released via the National Archives, cover the period from 1992 to 1998.

Here's some of what we have learned so far:

Fine Gael leader not a fan of 1996 Cork visit

Confidential files made publicly available by the National Archives show former Fine Gael leader John Bruton being less than enamoured at the prospect of an upcoming visit to Cork in 1996 .

Roger Casement guns feared 'illegally exported' to 'naive' US collector

The statue of Roger Casement at the re-developed site of the Dún Laoghaire Baths. Picture: Peter Cavanagh 

The Government feared that pistols taken from Roger Casement after he landed on Banna Strand in Co Kerry from a German U-boat in 1916 were improperly sold in 1990 and possibly illegally exported .

Maze tunnel was 'therapy' as leaders never intended escape to happen

IRA leaders in the Maze prison outside Belfast allowed inmates to work on an escape tunnel they knew would not be successful in 1997 on the basis it would act as a form of 'occupational therapy' to keep prisoners away from drugs.

Cork Irish Steel plant's State aid package caused rift between John Bruton and John Major

Taoiseach John Bruton complained to the British prime minister, John Major, in December 1995 that the British government’s plans to veto a State aid package by Ireland for the struggling Irish Steel plant in Cork could sour relations between the two countries and even impact on the Northern Ireland peace process .

Bob Geldof's own description of 'colourful character' ruled him out of Nobel nomination

A self-appraisal by Live Aid promoter and Boomtown Rats lead singer, Bob Geldof of his own colourful character ruined his chances of a nomination for the second year in-a-row by the Irish Government for the Noble Peace Prize .

Officials stage-managed Bruton and Major's 'spontaneous' pub visit

Then UK Prime Minister John Major (right) and  Taoiseach John Bruton after a four-hour summit in Downing Street, London, in November 1996. File Picture: PA Wire

The common practice of a stop-off in an Irish pub for a pint of Guinness by visiting heads was planned as a 'natural bonding event' by Government officials
who stage-managed a 'spontaneous' visit by John Major and John Bruton to Foley’s bar on Merrion Row in Dublin in 1995 .

Bruton rubbished game hunting bonding trip for Northern Ireland leaders

An unusual proposal to host a meeting of Northern Ireland’s political leaders at a remote game reserve in South Africa in February 1997 as part of the peace talks process was labelled “rubbish” by the Taoiseach, John Bruton .

Ireland is not ruled by Rome, Albert Reynolds told Major

Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and British prime minister John Major outside 10 Downing Street in London. File Picture: Gerry Penny/AFP via Getty Images

Albert Reynolds told John Major that Ireland is 'not ruled by Rome', during a meeting in which the Irish side expressed frustration at the attitude of unionists to talks on Northern Ireland .

Diplomats had 'black humour' handbook for public queries on loved ones

Unknown officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs resorted to black humour to create a list of interpretations of common responses to queries from members of the public about family members trapped in Kuwait and Iraq in late 1990 , according to files released by the National Archives.

EU rules nearly blocked arrival of Bill Clinton Christmas tree to Belfast

The historic visit of Bill Clinton to Northern Ireland in 1995 was nearly overshadowed by EU red tap e, new National Archive documents reveal.