Spying on Ireland: British Intelligence and Irish Neutrality during the Second World War
- ISBN-10
- 0191531057
- ISBN-13
- 9780191531057
- Category
- History
- Pages
- 360
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2008-04-17
- Publisher
- OUP Oxford
- Author
- Eunan O'Halpin
Description
Irish neutrality during the Second World War presented Britain with significant challenges to its security. Exploring how British agencies identified and addressed these problems, this book reveals how Britain simultaneously planned sabotage in and spied on Ireland, and at times sought to damage the neutral state's reputation internationally through black propaganda operations. It analyses the extent of British knowledge of Axis and other diplomatic missions in Ireland, and shows the crucial role of diplomatic code-breaking in shaping British policy. The book also underlines just how much Ireland both interested and irritated Churchill throughout the war. Rather than viewing this as a uniquely Anglo-Irish experience, Eunan O'Halpin argues that British activities concerning Ireland should be placed in the wider context of intelligence and security problems that Britain faced in other neutral states, particularly Afghanistan and Persia. Taking a comparative approach, he illuminates how Britain dealt with challenges in these countries through a combination of diplomacy, covert gathering of intelligence, propaganda, and intimidation. The British perspective on issues in Ireland becomes far clearer when discussed in terms of similar problems Britain faced with neutral states worldwide. Drawing heavily on British and American intelligence records, many disclosed here for the first time, Eunan O'Halpin presents the first country study of British intelligence to describe and analyse the impact of all the secret agencies during the war. He casts fresh light on British activities in Ireland, and on the significance of both espionage and cooperation between intelligence agencies for developing wider relations between the two countries.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2008-04-17
- 358 pages
- Paperback
- Oxford University Press
Similar books
-
A U.S. Spy in Ireland
By Martin S. QuigleyIn 1943 Martin Quigley was one of three intelligence agents sent to Ireland to evaluate Ireland's neutrality during World War II, or the Emergency as it was euphamistically termed by the Irish.
-
British Spies and Irish Rebels: British Intelligence and Ireland, 1916-1945
By Paul McMahon112 M. O'Driscoll , “ The economic war and 130 Circular from DNI to Naval Recruiting Irish foreign trade policy : Irish - German Officers , 28 Apr 1926 ; Lieut - Colonel Orde to commerce 1932–39 , Irish Studies in Phillips , 20 Oct 1926 ...
-
Ireland Defined: Espionage Through the Ages
By Harry Thayer Mahoney, Marjorie Locke MahoneyIreland Defined: Espionage Through the Ages
-
Irish Secrets: German Espionage in Ireland, 1939-45
By Mark M. HullIrish Secrets graphically tells the little-known history of German military espionage activity in Ireland - despite Ireland's neutral stance - before and during the Second World War. It details illicit...
-
Spies: Ireland’s War of Independence. United friends ... divided loyalties
By Brian GallagherOrphan Johnny Dunne has fled Balbriggan, where he spied for the rebels in Ireland’s War of Independence.
-
MI5 and Ireland, 1939-1945: The Official History
By Eunan O'HalpinThis book provides the full text of the history of MI5's Irish section BIH, a secret document prepared in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. Declassified only in...
-
The Spy in the Castle
By David NeliganAn account of the author's work for Michael Collins during the period from 1916 to 1921. From within the centre of the British security machine, Neligan fed information to Collins...
-
The Shamrock and the Swastika: German Espionage in Ireland in World War II
By Carolle J. CarterThe Shamrock and the Swastika: German Espionage in Ireland in World War II
-
Irish Secrets: German Espionage in Ireland 1939-1945
By Mark M. HullThis book explores why German intelligence ultimately failed, and proposes that the German effort represented a genuine threat to the Irish state and the Allies alike, which seriously threatened the official position of Irish neutrality.
-
Michael Collins and the Women who Spied for Ireland
By Meda RyanConcentrates on the crucial role played by women in Collins' personal and working life.