Job Vacancies In Ireland

Job Vacancies In Ireland

Job Vacancies In Ireland

Eamon de Valera and his party, Fianna Fail, won a majority in the 1932 Irish election. In 1937, de Valera wrote his Irish Constitution claiming sovereignty over the the entire island of Ireland and declaring independence from Britain. Neutrality in a future war would demonstrate this independence. The Taoiseach de Valera refused the Oath of Allegiance to the British Crown and halted the £5 milllon annual reparations to the British government. In 1938 the vital Treaty Ports (Cobh, Berehaven and Lough Swilly) were returned to Ireland by British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Despite remaining in the Commonwealth Ireland was able to remain neutral during World War Two.

The Proclamation of Neutrality

On 3rd September, 1939 de Valera announced Ireland would follow a policy of neutrality throughout the war. The 3,000 man Irish Republican Army had defeated the 35,000 man British Crown forces in Ireland in a guerrilla war campaign ending in 1921. The Irish army of 6,000 men contained veterans of World War 1 (1914-18), the War of Independence (1917-21) and the Irish Civil War (1922-23). Ireland was sick of war.

Three Armies

Ireland prepared for peace as Europe prepared for war. 50,000 Irishmen joined the British armed forces with another 50,000 securing munitions jobs in England. This was the only means of escaping the island prison of neutral Ireland: many saw the war as a great escapade.