THE British Ambassador to Dublin expressed surprise that the then Roman Catholic Cardinal seemed “a sincerely religious character” when they met in February 1982.
Leonard, later Sir Leonard, Figg wrote a note of separate meetings which he had with the Catholic Cardinal, Tomas O’Fiaich, and the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, John Armstrong.
It is not clear why Mr Figg travelled to Armagh for the half-hour meetings, but it may have been because both clerics led all-island churches.
The ambassador said that the cardinal had been delighted to see him, as previous British ambassadors had not visited Armagh, and Mr Figg recommended that his successors should pay an annual visit to Armagh to meet the church leaders.
Mr Figg wrote: “The cardinal was genial and welcoming.
“I think the significance of our talk almost lay in what he did not say.
“He did not mention the Maze Prison, although we later discussed the hunger strike, nor the current problem of the Roman Catholic teacher training colleges.
“Contrary to expectations, I found him a sincerely religious character who genuinely appeared to treasure the close relationship he has formed with his Church of Ireland and Methodist opposite numbers”.