Ireland
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(First published in 2019) Ireland remained neutral throughout World War II, but that is not to say there was no contribution from the Irish during the war. Many young Irish men did join the British army and also partook in Operation Overlord, more commonly known as D-Day. However, this blog is not about any of…
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“Le Dernier Métro” (The Last Metro) is a 1980 French film directed by François Truffaut. It is a poignant drama set in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II. The film captures the struggles of a Jewish theater owner and his wife as they attempt to keep their theater running amidst the horrors of occupation and…
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On the night of May 31, 1941, during the height of World War II, the city of Dublin, capital of neutral Ireland, was shaken by an unexpected and deadly event: a German Luftwaffe air raid that killed 28 people and left nearly 100 injured. This bombing, which occurred in the North Strand area, has remained…
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On May 7, 1915, the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line, was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat off the southern coast of Ireland. This tragic event resulted in the deaths of 1,198 of the 1,959 people aboard, including 128 Americans. The sinking of the Lusitania had far-reaching consequences,…
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Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s national holiday—a time to reflect on Ireland’s complex Holocaust history On May 2, 1945, Taoiseach(prime minister) Éamon de Valera expressed condolences to the German ambassador following the death of Adolf Hitler. This gesture was met with widespread national and international criticism. Angela D. Walsh, a resident of East 44th…
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(Originally posted February 24, 2017) In the early hours of 24 February 1943, a fire broke out in the basement laundry of St. Joseph’s Orphanage & Industrial School run by the enclosed order of Poor Clare nuns in Main St., Cavan town. The fire very quickly turned into an inferno. The alarm was raised by…
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In Limerick town, where the Shannon flows,A shadowy tale of a dwarf arose.Born under skies both gray and grim,Whispers spoke of the curse in him. His name was Mickey D, with eyes of coal,A heart as dark as the midnight’s soul.He walked with a limp, his gait askew,Yet power surged where his malice grew. In…
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Who hasn’t heard of that warm, comforting beverage known as Irish Coffee? It is often mistakenly credited to Hollywood actress Maureen O’Hara as its inventor. However, her only connection to this iconic drink is through her husband, Captain Charlie Blair. Blair, a pilot, frequently flew seaplanes into Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, and piloted the last…
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The buzzword of the day seems to be “immigrants,” often carrying a negative connotation. But here’s the question: who exactly is an immigrant? What follows is just a brief snapshot of history—a glimpse into my family’s background, at least on my mother’s side. The picture at the beginning of this blog shows the marriage certificate…
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The Dutch Hunger Winter, also known as the Hongerwinter, was a devastating famine that gripped the Netherlands during the final months of World War II, from November 1944 to April 1945. This period of extreme hardship left a profound mark on Dutch society, shaped the collective memory of the war, and offered critical insights into…
History of Sorts 
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