State Papers: Fine Gael leader not a fan of 1996 Cork visit

State records show John Bruton was also forced to issue an apology to the Cork-based radio station, 96FM, in April 1995 for his treatment of one of its reporters

Then Taoiseach, John Bruton, (left) officially opening Ford Cork Week at the Royal Cork Yacht club in 1996 along with Conor O'Donovan of the RCYC. Photo: Eddie O'Hare

It’s fair to say that former Taoiseach, John Bruton, may not rank Cork among his favourite counties based on the contents of secretive State papers released for the first time.

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

During a telephone conversation on the Northern Ireland peace process with the British prime minister, John Major, in November 1996 Mr Bruton signalled he had “a logistical problem” in trying to fix another call for later that day. “I will be out of Dublin from now until late tonight,” the Taoiseach explained.

Mr Major replied that he was going to be in France. In response, Mr Bruton, a TD for Co. Meath, remarked: “Oh good. I’d far prefer to be going there than where I am going to be” before adding that he was heading for Cork.

Apology to 96FM reporter

State records show the Taoiseach was also forced to issue an apology to the Cork-based radio station, 96FM, in April 1995 for his treatment of one of its reporters, Cathy Farrell, during an interview while he was on a visit to the city.

Mr Bruton had cut the interview short in annoyance when he complained he was “sick answering questions about the f**king peace process.” Ms Farrell, who is now an editor on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, had asked him a number of questions about local matters before raising an issue about Northern Ireland.

Writing from his home in Dunboyne, Co. Meath a few days later, Mr Bruton said he wished to express his sincere regret and to apologise for “anything I said”. The Taoiseach claimed he had given two national interviews in the two preceding days on the peace process and the decommissioning of arms.

“It is my view that the peace process is not helped by constant reiteration of the same points every day, especially on the decommissioning of arms, because this creates artificial pressure and expectations which are not helpful to those in the delicate process of negotiations,” he observed.

Mr Bruton claimed he had agreed to do an interview with 96FM, which had been organised by Fine Gael in Cork, because he had been led to believe that it would be on “Cork-related issues”. The Taoiseach said he became upset when a question about Northern Ireland came up almost immediately.

He claimed the situation was aggravated by the fact that he had been very seriously misquoted about the peace process in one of the questions that was put to him.

“It is for these reasons that I asked that the interview be terminated,” Mr Bruton added. He said he was very sorry for giving offence to Ms Farrell who was a reporter he held “in high regard” as he had stated publicly.