Ireland has never been truely neutral. We repatriated English and American airmen during the alleged "Emmergency" and apparently refuelled and restocked German U-Boats down Kerry way.
We allowed American military personnel to transit to England, provided they wore civilian threads and more than a few people were rooting for the Germans to bloody Churchills' nose.
In fact, I heard an interview on radio several months ago with either one of DeVelera's sons/nephews or grandsons. After wards they played part of a speech DeVelera made to the Dail after the War when he had been asked to explain why Ireland had remained neutral when the rest of the World ( bar a few) took up the fight against Nazism.
Apparently, his reasoning was, what if hte Germans had won? How would it appear to them if we had openly supported England in their war against Germany? How bad would it have been for Ireland?
It didn't matter, at any point between 1939 and 1945 , that the Allies were actually winning and that it would be SAFE to throw in on their side.
No, better not to help the real enemy, the English. How disappointed he must have been that Germany lost?
And that arguement loses all credibilty once the D-Day landings succeeded.
Still, all's well that ends well.
And the Spitfire prints are almost ready.
Cheers,
Liam
