John Loader Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby, GCMG, KCB, KCVO, CSI, CIE, (1 July 1877 – 20 April 1969) was a British civil servant and diplomat who was a key figure in Anglo-Irish relations during the Second World War.

On 14 September 1939, two weeks after the outbreak of World War II, Maffey arrived in Dublin to discuss the possibility of the United Kingdom appointing a British representative to Ireland.

[1] Later, following a discussion at the British War Cabinet, Maffey was sent back to Dublin again with a letter from Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appealing once again for the appointment of a 'representative'.

[2] As a compromise, Chamberlain proposed the title "United Kingdom Representative in Éire" but de Valera rejected this, insisting that the word 'in' be replaced with 'to'.

[4] Chamberlain remarked that the title would "seem to be well suited to an appointment such as this which is essentially an emergency arrangement intended to meet a temporary but urgent situation".

As "United Kingdom Representative to Eire", Maffey quickly established a good working relationship with Éamon de Valera.

In his memorandum, "The Irish Question in 1945",[7] addressed to the Secretary of State for the Dominions, Maffey expressed his view: "To-day, after six years' detachment, Eire is more than ever a foreign country.

There still persist the dark Milesian strain, the tribal vendetta spirit, hatred and blarney, religious fanaticism, swift alternations between cruelty and laughter.

He understands the narrowness of the Irish mind and does not venture on to broader paths, though he might certainly have led his people out of spiritual bondage in 1941, when America came into the war."

Maffey felt that "we can now talk to Eire on a cold, factual, horse-trading basis, knowing perfectly well that the cards are in our hands."

Painted by Philip de László in 1923, it was the study for two official portraits, at Government House, Peshawar, and Christ Church, Oxford.

Their only daughter, Penelope, married the war hero and Tory MP Sir William Aitken and became a well-known socialite.