Eire during World War 2

[Carol Anne]

How did Eire receive food and fuel imports during WW2. Was Britain responsible for feeding the Irish republic during the war?

[kempie]

The Irish Mercantile Marine continued to ship supplies throughout the war with all the inherent risks of U-boat attacks.

Eire enjoyed a state of 'benevolent' neutrality with its Allied neighbour, which enabled them to export scarce goods to the UK.

http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/history/19321945.html

[gary baldy]

Eire's involvement in WW2 is a complex subject. They were essentially a neutral nation and were therefore free to trade with whoever they saw fit. In terms of trade i suspect most imports came from the USA.
A lot Britain's black market produce came across the Irish border.

[Carol Anne]

Excellent link Kempie, Thank-you.

Carol Anne

[twopennorth]

Why would Britain be responsible? The Irish Republic was/is an independent state, and was neutral in WWII, not an ally.

The province of Northern Ireland, still being part of the U.K at that time as now, would have been a different story.

[Carol Anne]

Yes Twopennorth I know that now.

Thank-you.

[jake-the-peg]

The Irish republic did not exist until 1949.

From 1922 to 1949 it was the Irish Free state.Initially under this arrangement the King of Britain remained King in Ireland through an appointed Governor General who had to sign bills into law or who could veto them.

So as you can see just thinking of Ireland then as "an independant state" is too simplistic.

As always with Anglo-Irish politics - it's complicated

[Octavius]

The inter-war period 1939-1945 in Ireland was termed as "The Emergency", because of the introduction of the Emergency Powers Act 1939.
More details here: TheEmergency

[Peter Pedant]

Remember that under the Treaty of 1922 that the United Kingdom (not Britain as in one of the answers above) retained the use of three treaty ports.

These incredibly were returned to the Republic in 1938 - evn though the war with germany now looked inevitable and they were of great strategic importance.

Churchill reserved special spleen for the British (or should that be UK?) civil servant to 'gave them back'.