The 1947 funeral of ‘Nazi master spy’ Hermann Goertz at Deansgrange Cemetery, Dublin has been discussed quite a bit recently. The Irish Times as part of their ‘From the archives’ column reprinted the paper’s original article on the funeral back in May and the incident was also included in Shane MacThomas’ new book Dead Interesting which features stories from Dublin’s graveyards.
A scene from the funeral. Published first in The Irish Independent, Oct 22 1961.
Much has been made of the major role that women played at the funeral. The Irish Times reported that it was women who wore “most” of the Swastika badges in the crowd, that it was a woman who placed a large swastika flag on the coffin and it was also a woman who whispered ‘Heil, Hitler’ and gave a Nazi salute just after the burial. The paper also noted cards on wreaths announced they were from “Maisie”, “Mary” and “My dearest friend – from Bridie”.
A woman makes the Nazi salute at the funeral. The Irish Times, May 27 1947.
There can be no doubt that the “Mary” and “Bridie” were the Farrell Sisters from Glenegeary whom Goertz lived with up to his suicide.
Spinster sisters Mary and Bride (aka Brigid or Bridie) Farrell (sometimes misspelled as O’Farrell) lived at 7 Spencer Villas in Glenageary, South Dublin. It was this address that Goertz gave when he was in the High Court in April 1947 fighting his deportation order.
Like the other women, such as Caitlín Brugha, Iseult Gonne, Mary Coffey, Helena Molony, Maise O’Mahony (another name on a wreath), who helped Goertz it can be accepted that the Farrell sisters held anti-British and pro-Irish Republican sympathies.
Letter from Bride Farrell to The Irish Press. June 17, 1947.
Bride, who was the youngest daughter of Sylvester and Maria Farrell, died on May 11 1966 at St Michael’s Hospital. It is not known when her only sister Mary passed away.
In 1974, under the cover of darkness, a group of German ex-army officers exhumed Goertz’s remians and re-interned them in the German War Cemetery in Glencree, Co. Wicklow where they remain to this day.
German Military Cemetery, Glencree, Co. Wicklow.
Click on the book for more.
Click on the book for more.
Donal
Ciarán
Sam
Come Here To Me! 
What’s with the Star of David as the birth sign or is that just a coincidental piece of ornamentation?
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Not sure. Hopefully someone else might be able to answer your question.
It’s not a Star of David. A star is generally used in German to denote a date of birth (just look up any figure on the German wikipedia, e.g. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Joyce )
One interesting feature I found here – http://www.rollintl.com/roll/symbol.htm . While a star denotes the date of birth, a star inside parentheses denotes an illegitimate birth.
Thanks Aengus.
Bridie (Bea) Farrell was the girlfriend of Dun Laoghaire resident Patrick Moran, one of the ‘forgotten ten’ executed in March 1921. He was convicted of his alledged involvement Bloody Sunday, protested his innocence and turned down the opportunity to escape from Kilmainham Jail with Ernie O’Malley believing it would be an admission of guilt and that it would let down those who had gave evidence on his behalf. The Farrell sisters later owned a sweet shop in Dun Laoghaire and would still be remembered by many of the towns older residents.
Thanks for that James.
I’m guessing this might be the same Helena Molony mentioned in the OP:[IMG]http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee327/Falconer1st/Old%20Dublin/HelenaMoloney.jpg[/IMG] *
As a member of the Citizen Army fought in the city Hall garrison during the 1916 Rising.
*Taken from the book The Forgotten Women by the North Inner City Folklore Project 2008
PS: the link in the email comes back error 404 instead of leading to this page.
[…] Swastikas in Deansgrange and the Farrell Sisters of Glenageary (Dublin, Ireland). […]
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Was here today. Is that a bullet hole in the plaque at his grave?
It looks like one but can’t confirm if it is or not.
why was he burried here?
RIP
[…] Goertz’s funeral at Dublin’s Deans Grange cemetery. Image courtesy of Come Here to Me. […]
Does anyone know who lived in the room next door? I believe it was Joseph Beasley Boardman, ex British Army Captain in the Boer war and in the Canadian army? This might make for a good film …. my grandmother used to cut his hair!! Alison Boardman, alisonboardman8@gmail.com