Thread:Cyrannian/@comment-25890179-20180111235940/@comment-1633483-20180116005120

Yes, the IRA hoped to gain the support of Germany in the hopes of beginning a campaign against Britain, which I called idiotic because it was based on the blanket idea that "England's difficulty is Ireland's opportunity", with no consideration for the logistical challenges, let alone the consequences of collaboration. Especially considering that the IRA was severely damaged by actions taken by both the Irish Free State and the British during the war.

As for Irish neutrality, it's important to note that its support was near universal in both public and political terms. Nevertheless, it's an established fact that the government, led by the Taoiseach Eamonn de Valera, tacitly supported the Allies. Yes, he controversially sent his condolences to the German ambassador to Ireland upon Hitler's death, but from what I can see, the claim that he sent a message of support to the Azad Hind was based on the Japanese consular staff misreporting a statement made by a Republican group unaffiliated with the government. Indeed, among other things, de Valera's government secretly collaborated with the British to plan for a possible German invasion in Plan W, Irish intelligence regularly collaborated with Allied intelligence, and Irish weather reports were crucial in the plans for D-Day.

On a final note, pro-Axis sentiment assuredly did not extend in any significant capacity beyond those who continued to sympathise with the IRA—and such sentiment would certainly have been viewed through a skewed anti-British perspective. The Irish Army numbered 10,000 at the beginning of the war, and 5,000 deserted to join the British Army. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, over 40,000 Irish people volunteered in the British armed services, and interestingly, after ramping up recruitment, at its height, the Irish Army also numbered 40,000—which is a testament to the levels of popular support for the Allied cause among the Irish people.