On this episode of the Irish History Show, John Dorney interviewed Dr. Joseph Quinn about Ireland’s role in World War 2. They discussed:
- Why Ireland remained neutral
- How successive British governments made offers of Irish unity in return for the use of Ireland’s Atlantic ports during the war and why these offers were ultimately rejected.
- In what numbers Irishmen and women served in Allied forces and other Irish aid to the allied powers, notably in naval intelligence.
- The prospects for the invasion of neutral Ireland by one or more of the belligerents.
- Ireland’s uneasy relationship with the United States during the war.
- Éamon de Valera’s infamous condolences to German ambassador Hempel on the death of Adolf Hitler.
Dr. Joseph Quinn is a Second World War Research Associate at the UK National Archives and secretary and co – founder of the Irish Military Heritage Foundation.
Intro / Outro music “Sliabh” from Aislinn. Licensed under creative commons from the free music archive.
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