Marc Mc Menamin, well-known local writer, broadcaster and historian, will launch his new book “Code Breaker: The untold story of Richard Hayes, the Dublin librarian who helped turn the tide of WWII” at this year’s Allingham Arts Festival. The book will be published by Gill Books on October 12th, and will be available to buy in A Novel Idea and all good bookshops.
The incredible true story of the librarian, the Nazi spy and Ireland’s secret role in turning the tide of World War II.
When unassuming librarian Richard Hayes, a gifted polymath and cryptographer, was drafted by Irish intelligence services to track the movements of a prolific Nazi spy, Hermann Görtz, Dublin became the unlikely venue for one of the most thrilling episodes in Irish history.
In a complex game of cat-and-mouse that would wind its way through the city and its suburbs, Code Breaker reveals how Richard Hayes cracked a code that helped turn the tide of World War II, and uncovers a secret history of the capital that has remained hidden in plain view for the past 70 years.
Marc McMenamin is a journalist and documentary maker. A specialist in exploring uncharted corners of Irish history, he is the maker of several acclaimed radio documentaries, including Good Cop/Bad Cop, exploring the life of controversial former NYPD officer Peter Daly, and Richard Hayes, Nazi Codebreaker.