THE FLYING IRISH

“DOZENS OF IRISHMEN FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER SERVED AS FIGHTER PILOTS IN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN AND – LIKE THE REST OF ‘THE FEW’ – FOUGHT WITH GREAT COURAGE WITH SOME MAKING THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE”

At the beginning of WWII, Anglo-Irish relations were historically low. It had only been 17 years since the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 after the Irish War of Independence. The creation of a new country from 26 out of Ireland’s 32 counties had broken up the United Kingdom for the first time and partitioned the island. Relations had not improved in the intervening years and in 1937 the Irish Free State drafted a new constitution that renamed the country ‘Éire’ and severed most ties with the British Crown. Most crucially, in 1939 the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Éamon de Valera declared Éire’s neutrality and refused to participate in the war on the Allied side.

Southern Ireland had been established by republican militarism and its official antipathy towards Britain had roots that were hundreds of years old. Nevertheless, dozens of Irishmen from both sides of the border served as fighter pilots in the Battle of Britain and – like the rest of ‘the Few’ – fought with great courage with some making the ultimate sacrifice.

Heroism in Belgium

It is estimated that approximately 38 Irishmen flew in the Battle of Britain, although the numbers vary depending on birthplace and documentation. Of these, around 28 pilots hailed from Northern Ireland, which had remained in the United Kingdom, but the remaining ten were from Éire. Although it may seem surprising that aviators from Southern Ireland chose to serve in the RAF, many had close links to Britain and were already serving when