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On September 12, 1939, Ireland declared neutrality. Ireland told Britain not to send over any ships, submarines, or aircraft and informed Germany of Irish neutrality. Churchill was enraged by this declaration and never forgave the Irish.
Despite Irish efforts to spell out “EIRE” to deter German bombing, Dublin was hit on May 31, 1941. As a result of the bombing, 27 people died, 325 homes destroyed or heavily damage.
Irish army was divided into two parts. One half of the army was facing Northern Ireland to oppose an overland British invasion. The other half of the army was in the south to oppose a German landing.
Below is a satirical map of neutral Ireland from 1941, meant to warn off potential invaders, published in the Irish satirical magazine “Dublin Opinion” in August 1940.
Ireland remained neutral during the Second World War, although a minority favored fighting against the Axis powers. Irish authorities did not discourage civilians from going to serve in Britain and did not stop desertion from the Irish military. 4,000-7,000 Irish military personnel deserted to serve with British. 10,000 thousand Irish died in World War II.
To learn more about the history of Ireland of this period, have a look at the following books:
Why does it say Trump in the top left
It looks like bridge game bidding, (North responds with 2 spades) and you’ll notice that the compass rose is upside down.