Ireland in World War II: Neutrality, Nazi Collaborators or Secret Allies?
Irish History Podcast
Fin Dwyer
4.7 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 28 August 2024
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Ireland adopted a position of neutrality. However, throughout the conflict, senior figures in the United Kingdom and the United States suspected the government in Dublin harboured Nazi sympathies. While the Royal Navy believed German U-boats were refuelling along the West Coast, actions taken by the Irish government only seemed to confirm a view that neutrality masked pro Nazi sympathies. For example when the Taoiseach Eamon de Valera paid a visit of condolence to the German legation on the death of Hitler, in a move that provoked outrage across the globe. This was just one of a catalogue of incidents that seemed to confirm that the Irish government was sympathetic to the Nazis.
However at the same time, the Irish government were providing secret aid to the Allies.
In this podcast I explore Irish attitudes during the Second World War and whether the Irish government really harboured Nazi sympathies.
My first and only live show of 2024 take place at Cork Podcast Festival on Friday September 6th.
The show is on in St Luke's Church and will be a really special event of fascinating history and interviews.
Tickets are available at The Irish History Podcast - Cork Podcast Festival
See you there!
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey folks it's Finn so the countdown is on to my only live show of 2024. |
| 0:05.2 | It's happening at the Cork Podcast Festival. It's on Friday, September the 6th. |
| 0:10.6 | It's an amazing venue that's the deconsecrated St. Luke. I have a super |
| 0:15.6 | lineup arranged. We've got guests, some great stories and it's going to make for a great night of history. |
| 0:21.0 | I hope I'll see you there. You can get tickets in the link in the show notes of the latest episode. |
| 0:25.0 | That's the link in the show notes of the latest episode. |
| 0:28.0 | The future is unpredictable at times that the Open University are the experts in distance learning, |
| 0:39.0 | allowing you to fit study around your life. |
| 0:42.0 | What's more, you'll have support from dedicated |
| 0:44.4 | tutors every step of the way. Now suddenly your possibilities are open. |
| 0:50.4 | registered by the 5th of September to get started. |
| 0:55.0 | The Open University, the future is open. At the outbreak of the Second World War, there were a few better places to find yourself than Ventry on the Dingell |
| 1:15.9 | Peninsula in County Kerry. Although impoverished, it was remote and far removed from the |
| 1:21.6 | battlefields tearing Poland asunder. |
| 1:24.0 | However, that the Second World War was going to be a truly global conflict that would leave no place on earth untouched |
| 1:31.0 | was evident even in this remote corner of neutral Ireland on October 4th |
| 1:35.5 | 1939 when a German submarine U-35 entered the waters of Dingell Bay. |
| 1:41.6 | After surfacing the vessel moored around entered the waters of Dingell Bay. |
| 1:42.8 | After surfacing, the vessel moored around 50 meters off the shoreline near Ventry |
| 1:47.0 | Harbour, 5 kilometers west of Dingell. |
| 1:50.0 | Then, in broad daylight and in full view of the coastline, a collapsible boat was lowered from the submarine |
| 1:55.9 | and over seven trips a total of 28 men were landed on this remote stretch of the Kerry coastline. |
... |
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