‘A real bell ringer in international politics’: Frank Aiken and the origins of Ireland’s nuclear non-proliferation initiative at the United Nations, 1957-58

O’Driscoll, Mervyn

‘A real bell ringer in international politics’: Frank Aiken and the origins of Ireland’s nuclear non-proliferation initiative at the United Nations, 1957-58

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Published Version

Date

2025-09-15

Authors

O’Driscoll, Mervyn

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Published Version

10.1080/14682745.2025.2494201

Abstract

In November 1958, the US Permanent Representative to the United Nations (hereafter UN), Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., acknowledged that the Irish Minister of External Affairs, Frank Aiken, had proposed an idea with ‘great appeal’ that the United States and its allies would struggle to oppose publicly. He cautioned that this should not be underestimated. Cabot Lodge was perceptive. Indeed, most histories and analyses of nuclear non-proliferation credit Ireland with urging the United Nations General Assembly (hereafter UNGA) to pass resolutions in 1959, 1960 and 1961 and inspiring the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (hereafter NPT) of 1968.

Keywords

Frank Aiken , Nuclear non-proliferation , Ireland , United Nations , 1957-58

Citation

O’Driscoll, M. (2025) '‘A real bell ringer in international politics’: Frank Aiken and the origins of Ireland’s nuclear non-proliferation initiative at the United Nations, 1957-58', Cold War History. https://doi.org/10.1080/14682745.2025.2494201