State Papers: Scenes 'nothing short of farcical' during Gorbachev's visit to Ireland

Charles J Haughey, right, with Soviet leader Mikhall Gorbachev in Shannon, during the latter's visit in 1989.

A review of media arrangements for the visit of the Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev to Ireland almost 25 years ago was strongly critical of how large groups of onlookers created scenes that were “nothing short of farcical”.

State papers released by the National Archives show that Department of Foreign Affairs officials were concerned about aspects of the visit in April 1989.