FORMER ZIMBABWEAN LEADER Robert Mugabe was offered a stay in the country estate of Irish business colossus Tony O’Reilly a number of weeks after the death of Mugabe’s wife, newly released State Papers have revealed.
Mugabe, who died in 2019 and left a controversial legacy, was at one time regarded in Ireland as a respected statesman and honoured guest.
Once nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, Mugabe had been hailed for his efforts during the Zimbabwean transition to independence before decades of election suppression and human rights abuses cast a different shadow over his memory.
Now newly released Department of Foreign Affairs documents from 1992 released to the National Archives show the hospitality on offer to the then-Zimbabwean leader.
The secret files show that the Irish Embassy in London was contacted by the Commissioner of Zimbabwe in the UK on 24 March 1992 about a potential trip by Mugabe to Ireland.
This contact took place around eight weeks after Sally Mugabe, former First Lady of Zimbabwe, had died aged 60.
The document stated that Mugabe would “like to spend a ten day holiday quietly in Ireland”, remaining largely in Dublin where he would “like to visit bookshops and other shops” as well as do “some sight seeing and go to the theatre”.
The letter outlines that the seed for the holiday was planted by O’Reilly, who knew Mugabe as a result of business interests in Zimbabwe, and who had last met the President shortly after the First Lady’s death.
The letter stated that O’Reilly had “suggested that the president should take a relaxing break in Ireland”.
O’Reilly was perhaps Ireland’s foremost business figure of the latter 20th century, a media mogul who sat in the some of the world’s most well-known boardrooms, including as the CEO of Heinz in the US.
The DFA letter outlines that O’Reilly sought to encourage Mugabe to rest up after the loss of his wife and offered to facilitate the trip to Ireland by offering the use of his private jet and accommodation in Ashford Castle and Dromoland Castle.
The one-time media tycoon also offered Mugabe the use of a “villa attached to the main house” as part of his Castlemartin estate on the banks of the Liffey in Kildare.
The documents revealed that plans were drawn up for a meeting with then-Taoiseach Albert Reynolds and an official said Zimbabwe had been told of “President Robinson’s offer to host lunch in President Mugabe’s honour”.
Although the trip did not take place, Mugabe had previously visited Ireland in 1983 amid heightened security and very specific dietary requirements.
Mugabe and his wife had specific requests about everything from cakes and breakfast cereals to jam and non-alcoholic beverages: fruit juice was okay but Ribena was not allowed.
During his life, Mugabe spoke about Irish-links including a Jesuit priest who had been his school principal.
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