The handbook given to new Northern Ireland secretaries gives one version of the Easter Rising but critics said there was no definitive history

The British government is refusing to disclose a secret version of Irish history that it hands to Northern Ireland secretaries when they take office.

The dossier covers more than 800 years of turbulent events on the island of Ireland and its relationship with Britain. The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said it would not be in the public interest to reveal the file after a freedom of information request.

Darragh O’Brien, Fianna Fail’s foreign affairs spokesman, said the refusal was “more than curious” and suggested the NIO could not support its account of events.

“It would raise one’s suspicions as to why they deem that their version of history is something that they couldn’t publicise,” he said. “I could stand over what is my view and