State Papers: Omagh aftermath, stolen Prussian jewels and Haughey's otter exemption
Pictures: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie, U.S. National Archives, Paul McErlane/PA Archive
Thursday 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, have been released via the National Archives.
Here's some of what we have learned on the final day of the releases, which cover the period from 1997 to 1998:
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told then British prime minister Tony Blair two weeks before the Omagh bombing in August 1998 that the Real IRA did not seem to be "overly active".
In a telephone conversation between the two leaders on July 31, the taoiseach shared information on the paramilitary splinter group with the British prime minister.
Gerry Adams and Bertie Ahern hoped "some good" might emerge from the trauma of the Omagh blast in 1998 amid efforts to progress the peace process.
It came amid a growing sense of urgency to advance the peace process after the Good Friday Agreement, amid tensions over decommissioning and demands that the IRA declare that "war is over".
Tony Blair had “devoted little of his time or energy” to Northern Ireland even as late as 1995, Irish officials were told.
That insight came as Irish officials and diplomats sought to cultivate contacts in the Labour Party and help shape the policy of any future Blair administration.
Charles Haughey may have enjoyed a reputation as a lover of rural pursuits but there was an exception when it came to otter hunting.
The late Taoiseach was known to enjoy countryside activities like hunting and shooting but he readily agreed to a proposal by his Fianna Fáil colleague, Brendan Daly, to prohibit the hunting of otters in 1990.
The Government admitted it could do nothing to control the spiralling cost of hurleys in 1990, despite requests by the GAA to tackle the problem because of concerns it could reduce the number of young people playing hurling.
The Government was asked to put pressure on the Soviet Union in 1989 by a Mayo businessman who was trying to redeem IRÂŁ8m held in bonds that had been issued by the Czarist government during World War I.
State files released under the 30-year rule show Eamon McEnery from Ballycroy, Co Mayo, threatened to take out injunctions to stop commercial relations between Ireland and the Soviet Union, including the possible sale of the Verolme shipyard in Cork, if the government did not support his claim
A European princess had her “last family jewels” stolen at gunpoint while on a visit to Dublin in 1978 in what she described as an “unbelievably horrible experience.”
The statue of former US president, Bill Clinton in the Co Kerry town of Ballybunion owes its origins to an off-the-cuff remark made to the then Tánaiste and Kerry TD, Dick Spring during a visit to the US in 1994.
A row broke out between Irish and US officials in advance of a visit to Ireland by US President Ronald Reagan in 1984 over the allocation of hotel rooms for his entourage.
US officials complained the Irish authorities were planning to accommodate Mr Reagan’s staff and travelling US media in 41 different hotels while on the president’s visit to his ancestral home in Ballyporeen, Co Tipperary.
Irish diplomats believed the Irish College in Rome was unaware of the location of the death bed of Daniel O’Connell when a request was made for its return to Ireland 30 years ago.
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