The memorial to the victims of the North Strand bombing should have the names of victims added to it, a local Councillor has suggested. 

Although Ireland was neutral during the Second World War, notably referring to the conflict as ‘the Emergency’, Nazis bombers were still known to fly into Irish airspace on occasion.  

It is still not known why the Luftwaffe bombed Dublin in the spring of 1941 - perhaps they mistook the capital for Belfast? Whose heavy industry was playing a key role in Britain’s war effort. 

Perhaps, the Nazis wanted to send a message to de Valera about the terrible price that would be inflicted on Ireland if he chose to side with the Allies.

Whatever the reason, early in the morning on 31st May 1941, while Dubliners slept, a 500 bomb hurtled to earth and exploded in the North Strand. 

28 people died and 45 were injured.

The North Strand in the aftermath of the bomb. Picture by: AP Photo.

In the aftermath, a memorial was erected to honour the memory of those who died on that terrible night. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, Labour Councillor Alison Field said she feels the time is right for the memorial to undergo a slight redesign. 

 “On it, there are no names of the people that died; 28 people died in the bombing then,” she explained. 

“And it just recently came to me; I met with a person that actually survived and he was five at the time and I met him back in November and he was telling me all about it.

“So, I said I'd investigate and go and see, could we get the names on it? I was wondering why the names weren't put [on it].”

Survivors of the North Strand bombing at a commemorative event on the 70th anniversary. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Cllr Field added that the memorial is “not that big” and “definitely” needs to undergo a clean up. 

She continued that even after so many years of living in the area, she had only learnt about the events of the bombing recently. 

“One family, I know in particular, seven people were killed in it,” she said. 

“And the dad, Mr. Brown, he was, I think he was helping out in the area during  bombings in Summerhill and Ballybough. 

“And then he went home because he was concerned about his family and then the bomb hit.” 

91 year old Noel Brady of St. John's Ambulance who helped victims of the North Strand bombing by the German Luftwaffe in May 1941 in the memorial garden during a 70th anniversary memorial service. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Cllr Field has spoken to her colleagues in City Hall and said that the Lord Mayor “absolutely wants this done”, adding that it was not a big ask of the City Council. 

“It's very important to remember these people that perished; it's very important in the history of the area and hopefully, hopefully we'll get it done,” she said. 

“People need to be remembered.”

Main image: Collette Herra holds a picture of her father, George Goddard, who was an Auxiliary Fireman on the night of the North Strand bombing by the German Luftwaffe in May 1941. Picture by: Alamy.com.