In 1991, a history of the relationship between the State and the arts in Ireland, Dreams and Responsibilities, was published by the Arts Council. The author, Dr Brian Kennedy, inclined to the view that the credit for initiating Aosdana belonged with a former director of the Arts Council, Mr Colm O Briain, rather than with Mr Cronin.
After initially publicising the book with great enthusiasm, the council's then director, Mr Adrian Munnelly, told his officers that he had given Mr Cronin an assurance that he would no longer actively promote it. Mr Cronin has always denied seeking or getting such an assurance, but Mr Munnelly subsequently had the book displayed for sale with Mr Cronin's version of events attached to it by a rubber band, a device which was christened "the intellectual condom".
Mr Munnelly shredded some 200 copies of the book, without informing the author. This was an unprecedented action by a director whose personal integrity was highly respected. Mr Munnelly reaffirmed his belief in the book's value and accuracy when challenged to account for his action by the resignation of one of his officers, Ms Emer McNamara, but it was not republished under his directorship. That the book also recorded the less-than-happy relationship between Mr Haughey and the council in the early 1980s inevitably created speculation that the Taoiseach himself would not have been displeased to see the book drop from view.
Sourced from:http://www.irishtimes.com/focus/haughey/ITstories/story5.htm
Author Paddy Woodworth
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