Traces in Dublin
German Bombing of Dublin in 1941

Despite Ireland´s neutral status during World War 2, several bombings occurred in the country, the most fatal of which happened on 31 May 1941, when four bombs were dropped on Dublin´s North Strand by the German Luftwaffe. 28 people died, 90 people were injured, and 300 houses were destroyed. Seven of the 28 deaths were members of the Brown Family from County Offaly, including four children aged two to seven, their parents and their grandmother. Their tragic fate devastated several thousand people, who attended the family´s funeral procession, and a guard of honour was formed.

The Irish Government Information Bureau confirmed that the bombs were German and announced that protest was being made in the “strongest terms” against the German government (Reilly). However, it was only in the early 1950s that Germany accepted responsibility and provided compensation, which was paid for with monies received from the Marshall Plan. It was entitled to owners of damaged or destroyed property under the terms of the Nationality Act of 1941.

Photographs of the destroyed areas were taken by photographer Henry McRae, as commissioned by the Dublin Corporation. The photographs served as evidence for the assessment of insurance claims and can now be viewed at the Dublin City Library and Archive, as well as online. A plaque has been created in honour of the victims on 31 May 2001, 60 years after the attack, at Charleville Mall Public Library. Both the photographs and the plaque serve as reminders of this dark day that is not to be forgotten.