The special relationship between Eamon de Valera & Archbishop Daniel Mannix, 1913-1963

This dissertation is an examination and evaluation from a historical perspective of the relationship that was established and forged between the former taoiseach and President of Ireland, Eamon de Valera and the former president of Maynooth and archbishop of Melbourne, Australia, Dr Daniel Mannix. Both men played a significant role, through their intervention in both the political and clerical fields, in the most formative years of Ireland’s fight for independence and subsequent goal to stabilise the new state during the years 1916 to 1948. As relating to this period this dissertation will examine how de Valera often turned to Mannix as a sort of fatherly figure for advice on a number of issues relating to Ireland’s push for independence. These issues included the influence of the Irish diaspora, the taking of the oath of allegiance and the future of partition in Ireland. The vast Irish diaspora worldwide including Dr Mannix, through their support, both financially and physically, and through demonstrations held for Ireland helped keep the push for autonomy alive. Having examined the role the archbishop played through his relationship with de Valera and the clergy the dissertation will appraise how Dr Mannix, so revered at one stage in Irish society, later became such an isolated figure very much akin to the development of his relationship with de Valera. Irish history has largely neglected the role of the archbishop and whether he should have received a papal appointment to a vacant see in Ireland. This historical analysis will be grounded in research of both primary and secondary sources including previously undocumented oral evidence, archival papers, written public and private correspondence between the two characters and a range of visual sources.