This talk by historian James Scannell looks at life in Ireland during the years 1939-1945, known generally as World War 2, but known in the Republic of Ireland as ‘The Emergency’ following the German invasion of Poland on September 1st 1939 as the Government declared that a state of emergency existed for the duration of hostilities in Europe.
Topics covered will include our Irish version of neutrality and how it was applied against the belligerents in this conflict, the steps taken to preserve our neutrality and the organisations formed to maintain it, the internal and external threats to the state, rationing, censorship, and the control over everyday life exercised through ‘Emergency Powers’ orders which at times came thick and fast, and their effect on people and events.
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