Con Cremin
Encyclopedia
Con Cremin was an Irish
diplomat born in Kenmare
, County Kerry
.
One of four children, Cremin was born to a family that operated a drapery business. His brother, Francis Cremin
, became a leading academic canon lawyer who framed a number of key church documents. He was educated at St. Brendan's College
in Killarney
and from 1926 at University College Cork, where he graduated with a first-class degree in Classics and Commerce.
c.1929-30 he was awarded the post-graduate University College Cork Honan scholarship; by 1930 he had attained a degree in economics and accountancy. For the following three years he studied in Athens
, Munich
and Oxford
, having attained a travelling scholarship in Classics. He subsequently entered the Department of External Affairs, having succeeded in the competition for third secretary in 1935.
In April 1935 he married Patricia O'Mahony. His first position in Dublin involved working with F.H. Boland on the League of Nations
portfolio. In 1937 he was sent abroad on his first posting to Paris. There he worked under the 'Revolutionary Diplomat' Art O'Brien, until the latter retired in 1938. Sean Murphy later became his Minister. Ireland declared neutrality on the outbreak of the Second World War and Murphy and Cremin reported on the developments in France throughout the phony war
.
After the fall of France, the Irish legation was the last to leave Paris except for the American Ambassador, on 11 June 1940. After travelling to Ascain the legation eventually made its way to the new French Capital, Vichy, where it set about looking after the needs of Irish citizens, many of whom had been interned, as they had British passports and had been sending political reports. The political reports were of the highest value and insured that Irish continue to observe pro-Allied neutrality throughout the war.
In 1943 Cremin was sent to Berlin to replace William Warnock. Prior to his arrival the Legation was bombed. Cremin as Charge d'Affairs in Berlin was responsible for sending back political reports and looking after the interests of Irish citizens. Cremin attempted, unsuccessfully, to assist some European Jews; he did however send full reports on the Nazi treatment of the Jews in Europe. Warned to leave Berlin before the Soviets arrived, Cremin spent the last weeks of the war near the Swiss border.
In 1945 he was sent to Lisbon, where he met authoritarian president Salazar
and attempted to revive Irish trade as well as reporting on the various unsuccessful coups against Salazar.
After returning to Ireland in 1946 he was involved in preparing Ireland's Marshall Plan
application and tracing the development of Ireland's post war foreign policy. He had a distinguished career representing Ireland in many foreign missions and at the UN.
In retirement he was a guest lecturer in 1974 at the Law Department of University College Cork
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
diplomat born in Kenmare
Kenmare
Kenmare is a small town in the south of County Kerry, Ireland. The name Kenmare is the anglicised form of Ceann Mara meaning "head of the sea", referring to the head of Kenmare Bay.-Location:...
, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
.
One of four children, Cremin was born to a family that operated a drapery business. His brother, Francis Cremin
Francis Cremin
Monsignor Patrick Francis Cremin, STD, JUD was Professor of Moral and Dogmatic Theology and of Canon Law at St Patrick's College, Maynooth between 1939 and 1980....
, became a leading academic canon lawyer who framed a number of key church documents. He was educated at St. Brendan's College
St. Brendan's College
This article is about the school in Yeppoon, Queensland, Australia. For the school in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, please see St Brendan's, Killarney...
in Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
and from 1926 at University College Cork, where he graduated with a first-class degree in Classics and Commerce.
c.1929-30 he was awarded the post-graduate University College Cork Honan scholarship; by 1930 he had attained a degree in economics and accountancy. For the following three years he studied in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, having attained a travelling scholarship in Classics. He subsequently entered the Department of External Affairs, having succeeded in the competition for third secretary in 1935.
In April 1935 he married Patricia O'Mahony. His first position in Dublin involved working with F.H. Boland on the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
portfolio. In 1937 he was sent abroad on his first posting to Paris. There he worked under the 'Revolutionary Diplomat' Art O'Brien, until the latter retired in 1938. Sean Murphy later became his Minister. Ireland declared neutrality on the outbreak of the Second World War and Murphy and Cremin reported on the developments in France throughout the phony war
Phony War
The Phoney War was a phase early in World War II – in the months following Britain and France's declaration of war on Germany in September 1939 and preceding the Battle of France in May 1940 – that was marked by a lack of major military operations by the Western Allies against the German Reich...
.
After the fall of France, the Irish legation was the last to leave Paris except for the American Ambassador, on 11 June 1940. After travelling to Ascain the legation eventually made its way to the new French Capital, Vichy, where it set about looking after the needs of Irish citizens, many of whom had been interned, as they had British passports and had been sending political reports. The political reports were of the highest value and insured that Irish continue to observe pro-Allied neutrality throughout the war.
In 1943 Cremin was sent to Berlin to replace William Warnock. Prior to his arrival the Legation was bombed. Cremin as Charge d'Affairs in Berlin was responsible for sending back political reports and looking after the interests of Irish citizens. Cremin attempted, unsuccessfully, to assist some European Jews; he did however send full reports on the Nazi treatment of the Jews in Europe. Warned to leave Berlin before the Soviets arrived, Cremin spent the last weeks of the war near the Swiss border.
In 1945 he was sent to Lisbon, where he met authoritarian president Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
and attempted to revive Irish trade as well as reporting on the various unsuccessful coups against Salazar.
After returning to Ireland in 1946 he was involved in preparing Ireland's Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
application and tracing the development of Ireland's post war foreign policy. He had a distinguished career representing Ireland in many foreign missions and at the UN.
Postings
- ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
1937-1940 - VichyVichy FranceVichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
1940-1943 - BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
1943-1945 - LisbonLisbonLisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
1945-1946 - CounsellorConsul (representative)The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
1946-1949 - Assistant Secretary 1949-1950
- ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
1950-1954 - VaticanVatican CityVatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
1954-1956 - LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
1956-1958 - Secretary 1958-1963
- LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
1963-1964 - UN 1964-1974, (Chaired UN Law of the Sea Conference CaracasCaracasCaracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, (Retired)
In retirement he was a guest lecturer in 1974 at the Law Department of University College Cork
External reference
- Department of Foreign Affairs website, http://www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie/