Why so many Irish aren’t fans of Churchill

Winston Churchill may have provided the leadership and inspiration England needed to outlast Germany in World War Two, but he’s no hero in Ireland. 

“If Churchill hadn’t done what he did to defeat the Nazis, you wouldn’t be here,” is the lesson drilled into kids growing up in England.  

But things look different vis a vis Churchill in Ireland. There are no polls to prove it, per se, but he’s easily among those Englishmen and one Englishwoman (M. Thatcher) the Irish love to hate. And hate long. 

The Irish lack of love for Sir Winston is in the news

 Ireland’s current leader, (Taoiseach) Micheal Martin, visited the Oval Office on St. Patrick's Day last week (17 March 2026). Such a visit happens every March. This year’s  host, President Trump, told Martin he was “disappointed” with the current UK Prime Minister Keir Stammer. 

Then he pointed over his shoulder to a bust. “You see that man right there? You know who that is?” 

“Winston Churchill,” shouted a reporter, not realizing the question was a rhetorical one. 

“The late, great Winston Churchill....” said Trump to Martin before telling him how “Barack HUSSEIN Obama” had the bust removed from the Oval Office but he brought it back. 

The Taoiseach had to fight to get a word in edgewise, but eventually Trump called on him. Martin praised Keir Starmer and said this about the subject of the bust. 

“Churchill was a great wartime leader, although in Ireland it was kind of a different perspective in terms of our own War of Independence and so on - he created his own bit of difficulties for us. But that said he was a great wartime leader."  

In a nutshell, that “different perspective” is why you won’t find a statue of Winston Churchill anywhere in Ireland; why when Churchill died in 1965 the only nation that didn’t carry his funeral on live television was Ireland; and why you’ll never meet an Irishman named Winston. (I can’t say I’ve ever met an Englishman named Winston either.) 

Churchill eportedy respected Michael Collins, who fought the Irish War of Independence against Churchill's England. 

The Irish case against the greatness of Winston Churchill 

Ireland’s patriots at the pub will be happy to list Sir Winston’s sins when it comes to Ireland.  

First of all - As a member of Britian’s wartime cabinet during the Irish War of Independence (1919 – 1921), he created the Black and Tans, a force of 10,000 unemployed and pissed off Brits, to brutally suppress the unrest by terrorizing the Irish. They rank high in history's hierarchy of uncontrolled occupying forces 

Second of all - He inherited his father’s contempt for Ireland’s aspirations. Sir Randolph Churchill proclaimed that ULSTER WILL FIGHT AND ULSTER WILL BE RIGHT in the late 19th century. That slogan energized the Protestant opposition to indepemdemce for the entire island. Following in his da's footsteps,Young Winston fought to keep Ireland in line, like Wales and Scotland.  

Worst of all - He disrespected Eamon De Valera and Ireland’s neutrality in World War Two. It’s tough for an American to understand the position Ireland officially* took as Hitler conquered Europe. Many in England still haven’t forgiven Ireland its sidelines stand. Many in Ireland are aware of how Churchill characterized Ireland in a victory speech after the War.... 

“...His Majesty’s Government has never laid a violent hand upon the Irish. Though at times it would have been quite easy and quite natural. And we left the DeValera government to frolic with the Germans and later with the Japanese representatives to their heart’s content.” 

To which De Valera responded.

“Could Mr. Churchill not find in his heart the generosity to acknowledge that there is a small nation that stood alone, not in one year or two , but for several hundred years against aggression, that endured spoliation, famines, massacres in endless succession, that was clubbed many times into insensibility, but that each time on returning to consciousness took up the fight anew, a small nation that could never accept defeat and has never surrendered her soul.” 

De Valera, it is said, was never more popular with the people of Ireland than he was after Churchill's churlish condemnation. “His bitter aside at a small neutral neighbor that had been violently oppressed by England was hardly the stuff of a great English leader’s speech celebrating a European victory that would determine the future of the world.,” wrote historian Thomas Ricks in Churchill and Orwell. 

Another example of anecdotal evidence that many Irish people still despise him is the fact that in 2026, when Donald Trump praised Churchill, the leader of Ireland politely begged to differ. And defended the current resident at Ten Downing Street. 

Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Prime Minister Keir Starmer 

*UNOFFICIALLY, Ireland supported the Allied cause in World War Two. Among the numerous examples of cooperation with the Allies is the fact that German paratroopers who lnded in Ireland were put in prsiosn while Allied paratroopers were sent back into action. 

NOTE: There will be no March meeting of the Portland Hibernian Society on the Third Thursday - March 26. Next Meeting: April 16.