Irish Volunteers in the French Resistance Part I
Irish History Podcast
Fin Dwyer
4.7 • 1.8K Ratings
🗓️ 28 June 2023
⏱️ 25 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The struggle of the French Resistance against the Nazi Occupation of France remains one of the most famous chapters in World War II history. It has been immortalized in numerous film and books. However the story of the dozens of Irish people who served in the Resistance has been almost completely forgotten. In this podcast I interview Dr David Murphy from Maynoooth University who has researched the Irish people who served in the Resistance.
While the writer Samuel Beckett is the most famous David reveals the forgotten history of other Irish volunteers and their experience of the war.
**I am currently working on a new series on the history of podcasting. I have interviewed some of the biggest names in podcasting and now I am looking for your input. I would be really grateful if you could complete this short survey on your experience as a listener at https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/listenersurvey.**
If you are aware of Irish people who served in the Resistance David is working on a database and you would love to hear from you. You can get in touch with him at david.murphy@mu.ie
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Second World War was unquestionably one of the darkest moments in human history. |
| 0:12.0 | The sheer scale of death and destruction, not to mention the Holocaust, can often be difficult |
| 0:18.0 | to even fathom. |
| 0:19.5 | However, standing in sharp contrast to this is the story of the French Resistance. |
| 0:26.1 | After the Nazis occupied France, thousands of men and women would risk their lives resisting |
| 0:32.1 | German occupation. |
| 0:33.9 | Indeed, the Resistance has become one of the most enduring images of the Second World |
| 0:38.6 | War and has inspired countless films and books. |
| 0:42.8 | The actual history, however, was far removed from the romantic stories often portrayed |
| 0:48.3 | in films. |
| 0:50.0 | Members of the French Resistance were every bit as courageous as the fictional characters |
| 0:54.3 | they inspired. |
| 0:55.9 | But their lives were far from glamorous. |
| 0:58.7 | They lived in constant fear of being cast and wondered if the people they worked with were |
| 1:03.5 | in fact German agents. |
| 1:05.4 | If they were apprehended, they faced awful choices that could either inform on their comrades |
| 1:11.0 | or suffer torture, execution, or arguably an even worst fate, death in a concentration |
| 1:17.0 | camp. |
| 1:18.0 | The courage of these people was awe-inspiring. |
| 1:21.2 | Now until recently, Irish involvement in the French Resistance was largely unknown. |
| 1:27.0 | But through his intensive research, Dr. David Murphy in Manuth University has uncovered |
| 1:31.6 | scores of Irish people who opposed the Nazis, including some who paid the ultimate price. |
... |
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