State papers: Taoiseach Jack Lynch confused by plea to bring James Joyce's remains home

Though deeply tied to Dublin, the city that inspired much of his work, Mr Joyce spent most of his life abroad in Europe.

State documents show the proposal to repatriate the remains of Mr Joyce — regarded as one of the 20th century’s greatest literary figures — was raised in 1968.

Then health minister, Seán Flanagan, wrote to then taoiseach Jack Lynch in May that year to explain how writer Ulick O’Connor had recently informed him that the author’s son, Giorgio Joyce, “would be glad to have his father’s body brought back to Ireland if the Government would formally approve it”.

Mr Lynch replied that he did not understand the reference to “formal government approval”, before adding: “Unless, of course, it is his intention that the Government would make all the arrangements for the repatriation.”

Mr Lynch asked his minister to establish to what extent Mr Joyce expected the Government would be involved in the financial or other arrangements.

Ultimately, Mr Joyce’s body remained at Zurich’s Fluntern Cemetery — where he was buried after a modest ceremony in 1941.

At the time, neither of the two Irish diplomats stationed in Switzerland attended the funeral. However, the British consul was present. 

The absence of Irish representatives later became a point of contention, with Department of External Affairs correspondence fixated on whether Mr Joyce had died a Catholic.

Sympathies were later extended to Mr Joyce’s widow, Nora, along with an explanation for the lack of official Irish representation at his funeral.

Nora Joyce lobbied for her husband’s remains to be repatriated in the late 1940s, but her request was effectively denied.

The decision was made in light of the hostility towards Mr Joyce and his works from the Catholic hierarchy in Ireland, conservative academics, and some politicians.

A renewed proposal to bring Mr Joyce’s remains back to Ireland in 2019 sparked controversy, with critics claiming the move was driven more by the potential for tourism revenue than by a genuine desire to honour the author.

The poet was originally buried in an ordinary plot at the Zurich cemetery, but a more imposing grave marker was erected in 1966 to reflect the large numbers of visitors paying their respects.