A top-secret Nazi war dossier has come to light which reveals Hitler's chilling plans to invade Ireland during the Second World War.
The document contains detailed maps and postcards of the country and has been kept by a family out of public view since the end of war.
And it reveals that even though Ireland was officially neutral during the conflict, Hitler still viewed the country as a target for invasion.
The Irish allowed German U-boats and submarines into their waters during the Second World War, but the booklet entitled Militargeographische Angaben uber Irland pinpoints key cities and other sites in Ireland for destruction.
A new document has come to light which reveals Hitler's plans to attack Ireland, left. The dossier includes eight pull out maps where key cities and other important locations are numbered, right
Postcards, such as this one of Dublin, are also included in the document to provide extra information about the layout of key sites
The document - handed to high ranking Nazi officers - also included pictures of key locations such as dams, ports, cities, high ground and beaches which the German High Command believed would be of importance when they invaded.
These key places were numbered by military officials before being plotted on a series of eight fold-out maps, which would have been used during 'Operation Sealion.'
On September 17, 1940 Hitler was forced to scrap Operation Sealion because of the Luftwaffe's failure to gain air supremacy over England during the Battle of Britain.
The Nazi offensive never took place after the German defeat in the skies, but experts believe the book reveals what could have happened if the Nazi's had conquered Britain.
The scarce copy of 'Militargeographische Angaben uber Irland' published in 1940 has been uncovered for the first time after it was kept in the same family following the end of the Second World War
On September 17, 1940, Hitler was forced to scrap plans to invade Ireland - called Operation Sealion - because of the Luftwaffe's failure to gain air supremacy over England during the Battle of Britain
Although the Nazi offensive never took place, experts believe the book reveals what could have happened if the Hitler had conquered Britain
The document is expected to fetch up to £600 when it goes under the hammer at Ludlow Race Course today
This postcard shows a power station in Shannon County Clare situated in the south-east of the country
The scarce copy the document which was published in 1940 is expected to fetch up to £600 when it goes under the hammer at Ludlow Race Course tomorrow.
Historical documents expert Richard Westwood Brookes, of Mullocks Auctioneers, said the booklet shows how the Irish were wrong to believe they were safe from invasion after accommodating the Nazis during the war.
He said: 'This will come as quite a surprise as the Irish believed that the country's neutrality protected them from the Nazis.
'They were clearly wrong and it is a very sobering reminder that no one in the world was safe from the evil of Hitler.
'Despite the fact that many Irish were sympathetic to Germany throughout the war, they were clearly earmarked by the Nais for invasion and for the same fate as all the other countries in Europe.
Mr Westwood Brookes said it was also possible that Hitler might considered invading Ireland first to establish an invasion force there for a later attack on the UK mainland.
He added: 'It would have made complete military sense for the Germans to invade Ireland as it was a perfect location to set up to reinvade England in a bid to take Britain back from the Germans.
'Ireland had strategic links to America as well so it would have made tactical sense for them to occupy the country swiftly.
'We have naturally come across invasion plans for Britain before but I have never seen one for Ireland.
'We are really expecting interest from Irish collectors - it is, after all, part of their history that more than likely they were completely unaware of.'
This picture shows the built up centre of Belfast - experts are expecting interest from Irish collectors as the dossier provides a chilling reminder of what might have been had Hitler followed through with plans to invade the country
The contents page for the document highlights the detailed extent to which the Nazis had planned an invasion of Ireland
Ireland had strategic links to America so it would have made tactical sense for the Nazis to occupy the country swiftly
The front page of the dossier which shows that no one was off limits for the Nazis when it came to Hitler
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