Bantry Bay to The Troubles

Ireland was, for several centuries, Britain’s nearest colony – indeed practically in its backyard. The country’s incorporation into the United Kingdom in 1801, at the start of this narrative, heralded a long period when the Royal Navy undertook a defensive, protective role, with multiple threats from nationalists seeking independence at home as well as invasion scares from abroad. Additionally, Ireland’s geographical location later made her a focal point for the Navy’s anti-submarine operations during both World Wars.Following Ireland’s independence in 1922, the RN worked alongside the nascent Irish Free State providing essential offshore assistance for the army and police, although this was frequently resisted by nationalist supporters. This task continued after the creation of the Irish Republic in 1949 and the retention of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom. The last section of the book deals with ‘Operation Grenada’, devised to prevent illegal arms reaching Northern Ireland during ‘The Troubles’; the Navy’s role in this ‘deterrent’ patrol lasted for 36 years.The legacy of what some still see as colonial subjugation meant that the task was never easy, exacerbated by the fact that, as G K Chesterton remarked, ‘the English never remember and the Irish never forget.’ Although much has been written about relations between Britain and Ireland, hitherto there has been no book-length account of the Royal Navy’s key role in this important narrative. The present volume corrects this omission and offers an engrossing story of fraught politics and dramatic naval actions.