The anti-Irish are hitting peak desperation - and peak pathetic You may see 'Ireland played the Nazi's' and 'Ireland condoled on Hitler' doing the rounds, trying to infer Ireland tolerated or supported them. Its nonsense. The game played was in 1936. Also playing the Nazi's between 1935 and WW2 were England, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Portugal, Scotland… its a very long list. The Nazi's also held the Olympics in 1936. America turned up, as did Britain, France, Sweden, the rest. Trying to suggest Ireland was unusual for playing or appeasing the Nazi's before war broke out is nonsense - it was the norm. The 'Ireland sent Condolences on Hitler's death' narrative is also a weak attempt to infer Nazi affinity where there was none. The Irish government were working against the Nazis as early as 1938, before war even broke out. They set up a secret back channel with British intelligence that operated for the duration of the war, arranging joint defence plans, spying on and reporting Nazi military movements, and much more. There was endless support for the Allies, hidden behind the veil of alleged neutrality. So much so, MI5 said 'Ireland was of more use neutral' at wars end. There was also zero state aid or support for the Nazis from the Irish government. Ireland is the only neutral nation in Europe not to aid the Nazis in some way (with plenty active nations aiding them under occupation). It is also the only neutral to be vocally critical of Hitler's actions. 9% of the Irish population voluntarily went to the UK war effort. About 260k people. Significantly more if the north is included. Tiny Ireland had, by far, the largest volunteer enlistment for the Allies of any neutral nation. Many more were part of other Allied forces. Zero Irish left Ireland to volunteer for the Nazi's. Not one. Including IRA leadership, a few radio heads and 2 captured soldiers who turned, the total Irish Nazi collaborators was about 12. 12 people. From 3 million. But they want you to believe in Irish - Nazi affinity? This is the lowest in Europe - including Britain. Ireland also had the lowest far right uptake in Europe during this period. The 'condolences' can seem confusing coming from a nation that worked against the Nazi's and showed no Nazi sympathy. Why did it happen? The visit by Irish representative Eamon de Valera was to the Germany's officials home (not the German Embassy/Legation). He considered it a call of courtesy, not a call of condolence. He saw it as a necessary act of formality on the death of a head of a state, an action which was in no way intended to show support for the statesman in this instance. Other neutrals like Portugal and Spain did likewise, although unlike Ireland, those nations had aided the Nazis in some way. The informal and minimal nature of the visit was in contrast to actions taken on the death of President Roosevelt not long before, including an unprecedented cessation of the Dail, long and glowing speeches and special events. Flags flew at half mast - something not done on the death of Hitler, despite his technically equivalent position of head of state. The suggestion De Valera or Ireland held Nazi sympathy has no basis. He led a nation against the Nazi's for 7 years, green-lighting the huge violations of neutrality in the Allies favour. He enshrined the Jewish religion in Ireland's Constitution in 1937, an act without equal in an antisemitic age and hardly an act that would find favour with the Nazi's. Ireland's Jews lived a safe and inclusive exitance in Ireland under his watch and since, some examples of the comments of Chief Rabbi's below. This was in contract to the frequency of violence of exclusionary antisemitism seen in America, Britain and elsewhere. Ireland's Jews would plant a forest in his name in Israel for his work which contributed to a peaceful existence for Ireland's Jews in WW2. Even British Ambassador Maffey, who de Valera said would well know well his mind and anti-Nazi stance, offered a defence, saying the courtesy visit was 'unwise but mathematically consistent'. While stupid and ill considered, there is one thing it most definitely was not - an expression of Nazi sympathy where there was none. We will take no lectures on misrepresented history by those carrying out modern atrocity