The 26th Battalion of the IRA were called up and armed in 1939 to guard the streets of Dublin. They were men who fought in the rising of 1916. If you search the new you will find them. I have a medal to them. At this time Dev was also jailing the IRA ! Hitler also bombed Dublin.
Last year in Donegal Sinn Fein were involved in the unvailing of the memorial to the Irish 10th Division who fought in WW1.