Hi Indy and team,
I’ve heard before that during that war, Winston Churchill made an offer to Éamon de Valera, president of Ireland, to give the Irish Republic full control of Northern Ireland in exchange for the Irish joining the allies. This offer I believe was rejected, but could you elaborate as to why de Valera would decline what would become a fundamental issue of Irish politics for future generations or why the famously Pro-Empire Churchill would consider giving away British territory?
Churchill’s offer wasn’t a serious one and it wasn’t his to make. He never consulted Parliament, King George or the Northern Irish administration and De Valera knew it. If he had accepted there would have been a massive uproar in the British government and would have lead to more political turmoil and tension, which was the last thing Britain needed. As for why he made it at all it was because the Allies wanted access to Irish airfields and ports for supplies but Dublin remained resolute about staying neutral.