A senior civil servant recorded that “there were a few surprises” at the level of contacts but that Dr McAleese was determined to expand the list of his “loyalist friends” to include the UVF. The scale of his contacts are contained in a confidential note written to then British ambassador to Ireland Stewart Eldon from senior official Chris McCabe in September 2003 called “Loyalism and the Irish: Lunch with Martin McAleese”. Mr McCabe said he had had a “private chat” with Martin McAleese over lunch. The note said: “Martin McAleese very frank about his contacts with senior Loyalists. The note concluded by stating that Dr McAleese was also keen to establish contact with someone on the “military side” of the UVF.

Source: The Herald December 30, 2025 12:16 UTC