Ireland

  • 1 in 3

    The one thing I always fear when I do these blogs about World War II and the Holocaust is what I will discover about my family. Thus far, there is no indication that any of them collaborated with the Nazis, but I have a big family, and even now, in 2026, there is still new…

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  • William Robert Fitzgerald Collis (1900–1975) was an Irish doctor and writer. As an author, he was known as Robert Collis. As a doctor, he was commonly known as Dr Bob Collis. Maurice Collis was his elder brother, and John Stewart Collis was his twin brother.| He was born in Killiney, County Dublin. He joined the…

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  • Petronella de Meath: The Tragic Story of Ireland’s First Witch Execution Petronella de Meath, a name often overshadowed by the larger figure of Lady Alice Kyteler, stands as a poignant symbol of the brutal treatment of marginalized individuals during the medieval period. In 1324, Petronella became the first recorded person in Ireland to be executed…

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  • Many people view Halloween as a festival centered on the eerie and frightening, where people dress up in scary costumes to give others a good scare. What I find even more curious is the tradition of “trick-or-treating.” On any other day, we warn our children not to take candy from strangers, but on October 31,…

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  • Captain(Korvettenkapitän)Werner Lott was commander of U-35 from 15 August 1937 until 29 November 1939.He sank 4 ships and damaged one. You often hear about war crimes committed by the German armed forces, but there were also acts of decency. Around 15.40  on 3 Oct, 1939, the Greek freighter Diamantis, although the ship was neutral it…

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  • ICT or Information and communications technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. Whether it is for work or personal use we can not do without it. Especially in the last 2 years or so, during the Covid 19 pandemic, ICT has become the cornerstone to keep the economy and education going.However, it…

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  • Mary Elmes-Forgotten hero

    (Firts published on October 5 2017) Marie Elisabeth Jean Elmes (5 May 1908 – 9 March 2002)was an Irish businesswoman and aid worker who is credited with saving the lives of at least 200 Jewish children during the Holocaust by hiding them in the boot of her car.In 2015, she became the first and so far…

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  • Fascism, a political ideology that rose to prominence in Europe during the early 20th century, left deep imprints on the history of several countries, from Mussolini’s Italy to Hitler’s Germany and Franco’s Spain. In Ireland, however, fascism remained a relatively marginal movement, confined to small groups and figures that never gained mass political support. Yet,…

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  • Johnny Boy

    When I hear that wind blowAll across the Wicklow mountainsIs it you, I hear a calling?Johnny boy, oh Johnny boy When I look to the westAll across the river ShannonI can still see you smilingJohnny boy, oh Johnny boy When the leaves have turned to brownAnd winter is dueAs I watch the sun go downI’ll…

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  • The Doctors Resistance

    I have written quite extensively about the failure of the Dutch to protect their Jewish neighbors and even resist the Nazi occupiers in general. However, on February 24, 1941, the Dutch communist party called for a nationwide strike to protest against the treatment of Jews as well as the forced labor in Germany. The Communist…

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