Irish American historian Ryle Dwyer recalls how a US minister was convinced that Eamon de Valera hoped Germany would win the war.
Did Irish leader Eamon de Valera secretly side with the Germans? Interesting research suggests that he did, counteracting the very idea of "Irish neutrality".
While studying for his doctorate in history in the early 1970s, Ryle Dwyer delved into the stance that Ireland supposedly took during World War II.
The historian believes that Irish neutrality was "greatly distorted" by David Gray, who was US Minister to Ireland from 1940 to 1947.
"I got access to Gray’s personal papers, which included a manuscript for a book that he began writing after the war," Kerry-based Dwyer recalled to the Irish Examiner.
Via The @irishexaminer, this super article by Ryle Dwyer explodes the myths about Irish neutrality during WW2: https://t.co/Al5GppUlQo
— Philip O'Sullivan (@pdosullivan) August 12, 2018
"I was approached to edit this manuscript for publication but felt it was so distorted that it would virtually require another book to rectify his distortions. At the outset of my research I wrote to the eminent diplomat David K Bruce for help," he stated.
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Dwyer noted that during his research, a US-based deputy told him, “The Irish worked with us on intelligence matters almost as if they were our allies. They have never received the credit due them.”
The same deputy revealed to Dwyer that he was supplied with "voluminous reports on Irish radio interceptions, aircraft and submarine sightings, files on German spies captured in Ireland, as well as the names and addresses of people in the United States to whom pro-German Irish people, or German nationals living in Ireland, were writing."
Dwyer writes that Gray refused to believe that de Valera was helpful, and was convinced that he was scheming for a German victory so Hitler would end partition in Ireland.
Also a fantastic history talk today to TY students given by Dr. T Ryle Dwyer , prolific writer and journalist with the Irish Examiner , on the Siege Of Tralee . Did you know it could be argued that the first shots of the war of independence happened in Kerry ?!! pic.twitter.com/Al6MpAdACW
— helen hayes (@helhaze) May 10, 2018
Reportedly, Gray received guidance from ghosts - and would routinely pass on spiritual messages to President Franklin Roosevelt in the White House. Gray also liaised with famous Cork medium Geraldine Cummins, who "would go into a kind of trance and write out messages from supposed ghosts."
To read the fascinating full story, and Dwyer's earlier pieces on Irish neutrality visit here.
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