READ MORE-JFK, Reagan, Clinton rated top modern presidents
Ronald Reagan’s 1980 U.S. presidential election victory provoked fears among Irish, Washington-based diplomatic corps that the newly elected president could adopt pro-British views on issues relating to Northern Ireland, new Irish cabinet papers reveal.
Though Irish American, Reagan was said to have been disgusted by the drinking exploits of his Irish Catholic father and rejected his heritage as a result.
One theory for Reagan’s reluctance to boost of his Irish heritage came from an occasion when he found his first generation Catholic Irish father passed out after a drinking binge at the family home in Illinois.
One of Reagan’s brothers remembered their father as "very sensitive, too sensitive for his own good -- too much of the juice."
Years later, Irish Ambassador Sean Donlon said that the official election position on the Northern Ireland issues had been drafted by political advisers were unfamiliar with the situation.
According to the envoy Reagan had based his policy position on advice from “professional foreign policy types,” none of whom were experts on Northern Ireland.
Mr Donlon reported in a detailed memo that Irish embassy talks with Reagan staff had “indicated a strong pro-British tendency,” adding "many of the advisers had close personal and professional contacts with the more conservative Tory establishment in Britain."
The main points raised by the Americans were "our non-membership of NATO and our alleged softness on terrorism," according to Mr Dolan.
The Ambassador recorded "An initial Reagan draft position was very pro-Unionist, and, in particular inclined to the view that NI was exclusively an internal UK matter."
During his presidency, Regan uncovered Irish roots in Ballyporeen, Co. Tipperary but did not identify himself as Irish-American during his election campaign, Mr Donlon reported "even during the St Patrick's Day primary season."
The U.S. president was known for not overindulging in alcohol throughout his political life.
Concluding his memo, Mr Donlon forecast: "The US interest in Anglo-Irish affairs will remain, but will obviously assume a form which cannot yet be predicted with any accuracy."
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Searlit | Jan 03, 2011, 02:11 PM EST
@Pittsburghkid, I think it's time for the Affirmative action program to end. It unfairly punishes innocent people for the repressive actions of others in history. It has become reverse discrimination.
Searlit | Jan 03, 2011, 02:00 PM EST
irishwxman, there is no doubt that ego plays a strong role in anyone who seeks worldly power. Temper that ego with the spirit and you've got real potential as a human leader. It serves one better to see the good in other people rather than to look at the bad. I believe, if you hate other people then you hate yourself, since you are a human being, as well. That is the essence of it. Learn to love yourself more, and hate others less. The book isn't out yet on President Obama, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, for now.
cillowen | Jan 03, 2011, 11:05 AM EST
fair weather irishness of reaganites.
haikued2 | Jan 03, 2011, 01:20 AM EST
Interesting infighting going on. The comments seem to be a mixture of classic political BS and some historic fact. Of course Reagan traded on his Irish heritage to get votes, so did John Kennedy and Bill Clinton. As far as Reagan not trusting Irish security to protect him, EVERY US President brings his own guys with him on any trip, inside our outside the US. So those of you who dis him but canonized JFK, JFK was what we called lace curtain Irish because his father was a crook and amassed a fortune at that trade. JFK was unfaithful to the Queen of Camelot innumerable times. But that is OK. Personally I wasn't as disappointed in him as a President as I thought I might be and didn't mind serving under him as Commander in Chief. That was a role I thought he understood well. Anyway, dising the US Presidents as "actors" goes beyond stupid and linking that to Reagan who had also been a Union Officer and Governor of a State which had a population and economy that made us the 8th largest in the world at the time, was way past his acting career. But he was not an ideological leftist and didn't go to an Ivy League school.
seamusmoore | Jan 02, 2011, 08:20 PM EST
Some of you Reagan bashers may want to read his whole speech in Ballyporeen, particularly his acknowledgement of the GAA's centenary celebration. How do you think that sat with the Paisley crowd in the North and their "GAA is the IRA at play" mindset. Yeah, that Reagan was a real unionist suck-up. Also, the Anglo-Irish agreement happened the year after his visit to Dublin (sheer coincidence I am sure). That was the first time England ever stood up to the unionists in the North, which again went over real well with Paisley(do a little research on the 1985 agreement and the unionist outrage: Enoch Powell, James Molyneaux, etc were all "ecstatic" about it. Also, I seem to recall alot of the anti-Reagan sentiment in Ireland was drummed up over US foreign policy in central America. The instigator of this sentiment, none other than former Bishop of Kerry and Galway Eamonn Casey, who a decade later was the inspiration for the best selling T-shirt (Wear a condom, just in Casey) and Saw Doctors' song "Howya Julia".
seanomelbourne | Jan 02, 2011, 05:38 PM EST
The above photo says it all plastic Irish-American with a use by date of one day (17th March) like so many Irish-Americans and some Irish-Australians I might add.
Monsoonman | Jan 02, 2011, 03:05 PM EST
Ah, relief. Will get out the sun tan lotion and wax the surfboard.
irishwxman | Jan 02, 2011, 02:54 PM EST
Latest forecast models suggest sometime late Monday night into Tuesday morning...and looks to be pretty dry several days after that. Temps will probably warm up a little by next weekend
Monsoonman | Jan 02, 2011, 02:39 PM EST
I thought you'd see the irony WX Man. When is it going to stop raining here in cali? We have suffered floods, pestillence and fires this year, I am getting a bit nervous as to what will appear next.
irishwxman | Jan 02, 2011, 02:23 PM EST
Monsoonman....well said.
Monsoonman | Jan 02, 2011, 02:16 PM EST
"WHO IS THE REAL FATHER OF THE BASTARD BILL CLINTON?".... When you see a headline on an Irish Central piece containing that blasphemy, you'll know they have done some ideological soul searching and are at least attempting to be fair.
Pittsburghkid | Jan 02, 2011, 01:32 PM EST
This is so unfair to Reagan. Alcoholism distroys families, but Reagan's mother raised two successiful sons. Reagan's mother view his father as a sick man, not an evil man. Reagan's mother never said anything bad about his father, and neither did Reagan. Reagan was the President of the United States. He represented all American not just Irish. Kennedy hurt Irish American far worse then Reagan ever did. Kennedy block aid to Catholic Schools. My parents had to pay property taxes to Public Schools and tuision to Catholic School. Kennedy championed Affirmative Action, which classified Irish American as White, and were discriminate against. Kennedy was a graduate of Harvard. A second generation member of the American Ruling Class. Joe Kennedy was alway insulted that his family was not accepted by the American Ruling Class. Jack Kennedy was a playboy. I'll never understand the way Irish people think. I guess that is why my forefathers never returned.
irishwxman | Jan 02, 2011, 01:01 PM EST
@searlit...and I assume you think Obama is a humble and a swell guy?
sirpeter | Jan 02, 2011, 12:41 PM EST
irishwxman..Well i don't know much about Reagan's father,so i'll keep out of this one ;)
Searlit | Jan 02, 2011, 12:36 PM EST
I read that his mother was a kind person, always giving help to the unfortunate. How did Ronald Reagan grow up to be the man who said that the homeless people living on the streets of America were on the streets because they wanted to be there? I heard him say this on the news, myself, at the time. He did do everything Thatcher wanted, and what misery they witnessed. Elitists, wannabes, the two of them.
irishwxman | Jan 02, 2011, 11:40 AM EST
young lady, not your lady
irishwxman | Jan 02, 2011, 11:27 AM EST
Hard to say. I admire your gallantry, and obvious respect for the your lady...as we should all respect them...however this appeared to me to be a hatchet job and was very insulting to Reagan's father...who is not around to defend himself either. Maybe he was a drunkard, but he should not be referred to in such a manor. After reading this all I could envision was a young Reagan continuously cleaning up after a sloppy drunkard who probably couldn't dress himself. Maybe he could have referred from calling her drunk, but good for him for outing her lack of fact finding and the obvious tilt of IC.
sirpeter | Jan 02, 2011, 11:22 AM EST
irishwxman..i don't think that's the point now.Even if it was a mistake..You can't speak to a women like that.It was very strong.Molly didn't get personal and insult Rebelforce. Guys are fair game in my opinion.But that was out of order. Or am I the only one who thinks that.
irishwxman | Jan 02, 2011, 10:39 AM EST
Rebelforce....bravo for exposing this website for the liberal rag that it is. The fact you got Niall coming after you speaks volumes. If this was an article about Bill Clinton you could rest assured they would have their "facts" to the letter and there would be no insults about their family. Kudos to you. As the great man this article was written about always said, "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's that they know so much that isn't so."
sirpeter | Jan 02, 2011, 09:51 AM EST
Rebelforce..You can't make wild false accusations.Molly is a lady and you can't say ungentlemanly things to a lady.So be a man and post a public apology to her.
sirpeter | Jan 02, 2011, 09:38 AM EST
Rebel force I notice you can't even spell Neil Reagan's name right."Pleas" get your own facts straight (Homer Simpson Doh!)ha ha ha ha ha ha.First rule of the Internet,never correct the spelling or grammar of a poster.Sorry Niall I just had to do it.
Niall O'Dowd | Jan 02, 2011, 08:05 AM EST
rebel force accusing one of my journalists of being drunk is a pretty pathetic falsehood don't you think? or is that your version of the facts too?
seamusmoore | Jan 02, 2011, 03:17 AM EST
@rebelforce You beat me to my post about Reagan's grandfather being second generation, not first. Niall has a legitimate point, though, about your post being insulting. Yes, at times, some of the writing/editing on IC leaves alot to be desired. Molly's Peter King/Bloomberg article that had an accompanying photo of the NFL writer of the same name attached was embarassing. There is, however, no need to post remarks allegedly drunkeness, particularly if you are offering constructive criticism supported by fact. Hey, everybody makes mistakes (see my prior post) whether due to haste or carelessness. Even you misspelled Reagan's brother Neil's name, as Niall pointed out.
seamusmoore | Jan 02, 2011, 02:59 AM EST
@edinboron thanks for the correction; clearly, I meant to say Republican, not Democrat, as the Democratic party had long been the party of choice for Irish Catholics as JFK's share of the Irish vote was around 70%. You are wrong about the make-up of Reagan Democrats as many of them were blue collar union members who voted for him because the economy was so lousy under Jimmy Carter, who wasn't all that socially liberal.
Rebelforce | Jan 02, 2011, 12:45 AM EST
Niall, stop embarassing yourself further. Blatant ignorance is never cool. John Reagan's paternal grandfather, Michael O'Regan was a native of County Tipperary, Ireland. O'Regan worked as a tenant farmer during his early years in Ireland, before he moved to London in 1852. O'Regan married an Irish refugee, Catherine Mulcahey in London and anglicised his family surname as "Reagan". The Reagans relocated to Carroll County, Illinois in 1856, where their son, John Michael was born. John Michael became a grain-elevator farmer, and married Jenny Cusick in 1878. Cusick was born in Canada, but like John Michael her parents came from Ireland. Their son, John Edward "Jack", was born five years later. I realize American politics isn't your forte, but how can anybody take your website seriously if you can't get basic facts straight?
Niall O'Dowd | Jan 01, 2011, 10:44 PM EST
rebel force I notice you can't even spell Neil Reagan's name right so please don't lecture us on proper journalism. Referring to Ronald Reagan's father as first generation is correct, as he was the first generation to be born in America. Pleas get your own facts straight before insulting hardworking journalists
Dublinjas | Jan 01, 2011, 09:18 PM EST
Since the office of the President of the United States of America is largely a role for an Actor more than a Doer Ronald Reagan was greatly in his element, and thus was the Greatest President since the last fella.
Monsoonman | Jan 01, 2011, 08:45 PM EST
President Ronald Reagan (May God bless his soul) was a democrat when he was a young lad, but with time came wisdom and, in his own words: "I never left the democrat party, the democrat party left me."
pilib04 | Jan 01, 2011, 08:17 PM EST
Reagan was Bloody Thatcher's lapdog.
Edinboron | Jan 01, 2011, 06:28 PM EST
@seamusmoore, Reagan was a Republican. A Reagan Democrat was a Democrat who crossed party lines to vote for Reagan. Many Reagan Democrats were socially conservative Irish Catholics who voted for Reagan because he was staunchly anti-abortion and anti-homosexual.
sirpeter | Jan 01, 2011, 03:43 PM EST
@seamusmoore...He had NO love for Ireland.He used his Irish ancestry purely for photo opportunity and Irish/American votes.He wouldn't even trust Irish security to keep him safe,he had his own men.To me Seamus that is walking upon our ways and trampled on our culture.He certainly didn't feel safe..Considering he spent most of his time in bed with Margaret Thatcher.Seamus he's a politician,what way would you expect him to act on TV. I think Clinton helped with the peace process and has been here many times.If JFK's father just wanted to be known as American..I can understand that..If i was Irish/American..I think i wouldn't want to be known as just Irish..but American or Irish/American...Not just Irish..I can understand him getting upset about that.
seamusmoore | Jan 01, 2011, 01:39 PM EST
@sirpeter Please ampify your "walked upon our ways and trampled on our culture" remark. Could you give an example(s) of what he did/didn't do that would prompt you to feel that way. I saw a video clip (RTE Reeling in the Years) of him in the village of Ballyporeen (where his great-grandfather came from)and he appeared quite gracious, comparing Ballyporeen to the small Illinois town (Tampico)where he grew up. I beg to differ about your definition of arse licking if Ireland's fawning all over JFK (whose father would repeatedly bitch about the media describing him as Irish; "I'm American, God dammit", he would complain) isn't the textbook definition, I don't know what is. BTW, how about those Irish named Clinton that tried to claim they were related to him. Of course, Bill Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe IV (or as I prefer, BJ Blythe) and his Irish roots were from his mother's side, the Cassidys from Fermanagh. Ironically, Clinton (the self described "fat boy in jeans in high school") appears to have inherited his athletic ability from his Fermanagh relations.
seamusmoore | Jan 01, 2011, 12:54 PM EST
"rejected his heritage", you must be joking, Molly. That's explains why he so embraced the nickname "the Gipper" during his 1980 Presidential campaign. George Gipp, of course, being the iconic athletic hero of that bastion of Wasp-dom Harvard University. Oh wait, George Gipp, actually was a sports icon at Notre Dame, the school that symbolic of Irish Catholic America. Molly, where do you think the term "Reagan Democrat" came from? Reagan was the first Democrat to win a majority of the Irish Catholic vote. IC continues without question to be the most ill-informed source when it comes to US political history.
sirpeter | Jan 01, 2011, 12:45 PM EST
I remember his visit to Ireland,himself and his wife epitomize all that is unpalatable about America.They came here and pushed everyone aside,walked upon our ways and trampled on our culture,purely for photo opportunityand nothing else.All the gobshites and charletons had a field day on this occasion of gross crassness and bad taste.At least JFK and Clinton had a certain amount of genuine empity and love for Ireland.It was one of the few days i was genuinely ashamed to be Irish..The island of saints and scholars and gombeens and fu*king arse lickers.
Rebelforce | Jan 01, 2011, 11:33 AM EST
This story is so typical of the shoddy, amateurish reporting at IrishCentral that it hardly even deserves serious comment. Suffice it to say that Molly can't even name Ronald Reagan's father. John Edward Reagan is referred to as the "drunken Irish Catholic father" (how sweet of her). She claims Reagan's father was "first generation" Irish. WRONG. She writes about "one of Reagan's brothers". WRONG. Ronald Reagan only had one older brother, Neal Reagan. The entire article is frankly one huge embarassment. Molly Muldoon must have been drunk while she wrote this drivel. Happy New Year Molly *hic*
Edinboron | Jan 01, 2011, 09:20 AM EST
Reagan was an Anglophile through and through. He took Thatcher's lead on many things. He was rewarded for his service to the crown when he was knighted after he left office.
Towngate | Jan 01, 2011, 08:37 AM EST
For any faults he may have had, you tend to feel he always tried to do his best.