The Irish Response to War & The Emergency

The Irish Free State Response to War

• When World War II broke out in September 1939, the Irish Free State, led by Éamon de Valera, declared a state of emergency and adopted a policy of neutrality.
• This policy, known as "The Emergency" in Ireland, aimed to keep the country out of the conflict and avoid the devastation experienced during the Irish War of Independence and Civil War. Despite its official stance of neutrality, Ireland's situation was complex.
• The government quickly passed the Emergency Powers Act 1939, which granted extensive powers to control the economy, censor information, and maintain public order.
• The Act allowed the government to take necessary measures to ensure that Ireland could sustain itself during the war, including control over resources, industries, and transportation.
• The government also used this power to suppress any activities that threatened neutrality, such as curbing the actions of groups sympathetic to the Allies or Axis powers.
• Additionally, the Act enabled the government to control communications, including newspapers and radio broadcasts, to prevent the spread of propaganda that could sway public opinion towards either side.
• Although both Allied and Axis powers questioned Ireland's neutrality, de Valera was committed to maintaining this stance to protect Ireland's sovereignty and avoid being drawn into the conflict.
• However, this neutrality also meant that Ireland had to rely heavily on its limited resources and face economic challenges without external support.

Society During the War (Shipping and Supplies)

• During the Emergency, the Irish Free State faced significant challenges in maintaining supplies and keeping the economy running.
• As a neutral country, Ireland was cut off from many of the regular trade routes, especially with Britain, which had been its primary trading partner.
• The war severely disrupted shipping lanes, leading to shortages of essential goods such as fuel, food, and raw materials.
• The British blockade of German-controlled territories in Europe and the Atlantic U-boat campaign made it dangerous for ships to travel to Ireland.
• Consequently, the Irish government had to take measures to ensure that the country could survive on limited supplies.
• The scarcity of goods led to the introduction of rationing for essential items like bread, tea, sugar, and fuel.
• The government also encouraged self-sufficiency by promoting the cultivation of crops like wheat and potatoes and increasing livestock production.
• However, the restrictions on shipping also meant that certain imported goods, such as petrol and coal, became incredibly scarce, leading to widespread hardship.
• The scarcity of fuel, in particular, had a profound impact on daily life, as it led to the closure of businesses and industries that relied on coal, such as factories and railways.
• Additionally, the lack of petrol forced people to rely on bicycles and horse-drawn carts for transportation.

Rationing and Glimmer Men

• Rationing became a central feature of life in the Irish Free State during the Emergency. The government implemented strict controls on the distribution of essential goods to ensure that everyone received their fair share.

• Ration books were issued to every household, and people had to present these books to purchase items like bread, sugar, butter, and tea.

• The Department of Supplies managed the rationing system, which worked to allocate resources as efficiently as possible.

• However, the system was not without its challenges. Black market activities flourished as people sought to obtain either rationed or unavailable goods, and there was widespread resentment towards those who engaged in such activities.

• One of the most notorious aspects of the Emergency was the Glimmer Men—inspectors who the government employed to enforce the rationing of gas and electricity.

  • These inspectors would visit homes to ensure that people were not using more than their allotted amount of fuel. They were named "Glimmer Men" because they were known to look for any signs of "glimmer" or light that indicated someone was using gas illegally.

• The Glimmer Men became widely disliked. They were seen as intrusive and overly strict, often catching people who were using small amounts of fuel for basic needs like heating or cooking.

• Despite the hardships, most people complied with the rationing rules out of a sense of duty and the need to contribute to the war effort, even though Ireland was neutral.

The Economic Impacts of the Emergency

• The Emergency had profound economic impacts on the Irish Free State. The government's strict control over resources, combined with the disruptions in trade and shortages of goods, led to significant economic difficulties.
• The closure of many businesses, particularly those reliant on imported raw materials, resulted in widespread unemployment and economic stagnation.
• Agricultural production was prioritised to ensure food self-sufficiency, but this often came at the expense of industrial growth.
• Farmers were encouraged to produce more staple crops like wheat and potatoes, and the government implemented price controls to prevent inflation.
• However, the focus on agriculture did little to alleviate the economic strain caused by the war. The lack of fuel, in particular, had a crippling effect on the economy.
• With limited access to coal and petrol, industries that relied on energy were forced to cut back or shut down altogether. This, in turn, reduced production and exports, further weakening the economy.
• The government also faced difficulties in maintaining public services, such as transportation and healthcare, due to the shortage of resources.
• Despite these challenges, the Irish Free State managed to avoid the worst effects of the war, largely due to its neutrality and the government's efforts to manage the economy through the Emergency Powers Act.

The Concept of Friendly Neutrality and How It Put Ireland in Danger

• Ireland's policy of friendly neutrality during World War II was designed to keep the country out of the conflict while maintaining good relations with both the Allied and Axis powers.
• However, this position was fraught with challenges and dangers. On one hand, Ireland's geographic location made it strategically important, particularly to Britain, which relied on Irish ports and airspace for its defence against German attacks.
• On the other hand, Ireland's refusal to fully align with the Allies led to tensions with Britain and the United States.
• The British government, in particular, was frustrated by Ireland's neutrality, as it limited their ability to use Irish ports and airfields, which could have been crucial in the Battle of the Atlantic.
• Ireland's neutrality also made it vulnerable to potential German aggression. There were fears that Germany might invade Ireland to use it as a base for launching attacks on Britain.
• The Irish government had to walk a delicate line, avoiding actions that could provoke either side while also preparing for the possibility of invasion.
• This included strengthening coastal defences and maintaining a small but ready defence force. The concept of friendly neutrality also put Ireland in a difficult position regarding humanitarian issues.
• The government was careful to maintain diplomatic relations with both sides, even going so far as to send condolences to Germany after the death of Adolf Hitler in 1945.
• This act, while meant to uphold Ireland's neutrality, was met with international criticism and highlighted the precarious nature of Ireland's position during the war.

Censorship in Ireland During the Emergency

• Aside from rationing, censorship was the most significant way the war impacted the public. The government invoked its emergency powers to establish the Ministry for Coordination and Defensive Measures, aiming to exert strict control over all information disseminated through the press, telegraphs, or letters. Irish censorship, led by Minister Frank Aiken, was more stringent than in any other neutral country.
  • On Radio Éireann, news broadcasts consisted only of dispatches from the Allies and the Axis powers, read without any editorial commentary. The term 'war' was avoided, replaced instead with 'emergency'.
  • Newspapers were prohibited from commenting on the war's progress, ensuring no side appeared favoured. Even opinions on the war or death notices for Irish soldiers were banned.
  • The censor also monitored private correspondence, suppressing letters he disapproved of, sometimes for reasons unrelated to the war.
  • Films, particularly those from Britain or the United States, faced heavy censorship or were banned entirely if they addressed the war.
  • Irish cultural works, such as Patrick Kavanagh's The Great Hunger, were censored for depicting the hardships of the Emergency.
  • Public weather forecasts were entirely suppressed.
• The extensive censorship imposed by the Irish media limited people's knowledge of the war. Although some British newspapers were available, and those with radios could receive foreign broadcasts, this provided only limited insight into global events.
• Due to memories of British propaganda during the War of Independence, there was widespread scepticism toward British reports, particularly regarding German atrocities.
• It was only after the war, with the liberation of death camps, that the full extent of Nazi horrors became evident.
• Furthermore, strict censorship concealed the level of Irish cooperation with the Allies. The contributions of Irishmen who fought in the British army were omitted from public discourse. Officially, the government banned weather reports, yet secretly, it continued to gather weather data and share it with the Allies.
• Notably, the Blacksod Point weather station in Co. Mayo provided critical information about a weather break on 6 June 1944, which played a key role in the timing of the D-Day landings in France.