Spying on Ireland
Subtitle: British intelligence and Irish neutrality during the Second World War
By: Eunan O'Halpin.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Oxford; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 335
ISBN-13: 9780199253296
Subjects: World War, 1939-1945 -- Ireland; World War, 1939-1945 -- Secret service -- Great Britain; Espionage -- Ireland -- History -- 20th century; Neutrality -- Ireland
Description: "Irish neutrality during the Second World War presented Britain with significant challenges to her 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." "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 intelligence cooperation for developing wider relations between the two countries."--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [306]-316) and index.