DFallon’s great piece on Ettie Steinberg yesterday got me thinking about another unusual tale regarding the Irish and the Second World War. That is the story of John McGrath of Roscommon who became the only Irishman to be imprisoned in Dachau concentration camp.
If you stand in the Schubraum section of the Museum Building in Dachau, you will see a large map of Europe on the wall. Over each country is a number, indicating how many of their citizens were imprisoned in the camp. The number ‘1’ is marked over Ireland.
John McGrath (c1893 – Nov 27 1946), was born in Elphin, Roscommon and educated at the Christian Brothers’ Schools in Carrick-On-Shannon. Joining the British Army, he saw action in France in World War One.
Returning home safely he worked, as an administrative staff assistant, with the Gordon Hotel in London and then was involved with the organising of the…
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History of Sorts 