rebel corks fighting story-anvil books Dont know who it is written by,its an old book my da found and gave to me,it gives detailed accounts of various ambushes on the tans and auxies around the 20s,each story is written by a man who was there i.e. tom barry,pat lynch.i dont have much info on the history on htis book soif anyone knows anything about it id appreciate it.if your interested in the tactical IRA of the 20s that defeated the brits this book is a must!

Irish History I.R.A history
A Chara Try searching the online book stores you will get big feed back some off the best i have read are THE SECRET ARMY J Bowyer Bell BANDIT COUNTRY (SOUTH ARMAGH IRA) Toney Harding TEN MEN DEAD David Beresford MY FIGHT FOR IRISH FREEDOM Dan Breen TOM BARRY GUERILLA DAYS IN IRELAND Tom Barry FRANK RYAN IN GREEN AND IN RED S.A.S IN IRELAND Father Ramond Murry all are great books the secret army is an 1916-2000 history off the I.R.A , ten men dead is a look into the 1980-1981 hungerstrikes with loads off smuggled "comms" letters from the Prisoners to each other, their families and to their I.R.A Comrades on the outside my fight for irish freedom and guerilla days in ireland are two grat books about two famous Irish soldiers in the tan war and the civil war men whos actions changed the course off irish history breen whos actions kickstarted the tan war and barry and his men who run the Brits ragged in west cork in green and in red takes a look at the famous irish socialist ,Irish Republican , internationalist frank ryan who fought in the tan and civil war broke from the I.R.A in the thirties and formed Republican congress then went to fight the franco in spain was captured released at the behest off nazi germany who faild to use his potential and how he died their it breaks the myth and Propaganda from all sides surrounding this man bandit country a look at the most inhospitaple place on the planet for a brit soldier to be posted a look at the remarkable and highly skilled south armagh brigade of the I.R.A responsible for some off the I.R.As most sucessful attacks S.A.S in ireland a look at the S.A.S ambushes off Republicans in Ireland with both sides off the story told grusome pictures show the torture some I.R.A volunteers got at the hands off the S.A.S (makes the blood boil)

The Rebel Cork book looks very interesting, as does the S.A.S. in Ireland by the priest- I'll have to read that one some time. REBEL HEARTS was one of the best books I've ever read- man it is gripping, if you can get past the akward personal information presented by the author. I think Rebel Hearts is a must read, especially because of the personal interviews with I.R.A. men and women's families. BANDIT COUNTRY was good, but the nitty-gritty details of killings and such can get tiring. The author has a slight pro-British lean, but it is good to get another's perspective. Overall- it is good. TEN MEN DEAD is incredibly good- a must read.

I never finished Rebel Hearts because I thought the Author came off as a sneering little wanker... Does he lose the superiority complex further into the book? If so I might pick it up again Exit Wounds by Simon Adams is great. I think it is kind of along the lines of Toolis' book, only better. I am reading Ruarí Ó Bradaighs bio right now, I am about halfway through and I am pretty impressed, It is perhapd the most political of republican lit I have read, It's really interesting.

Oh Kat, you've got to finish it (REBEL HEARTS). I know what you mean- he was sort of frustrating me in the beginning (especially his comments about Pearse earlier on). Nonetheless, you see he is grappling with some serious conflictions, and by the end of the book, it is clear he is very symphatetic with the cause. Again, the interviews themselves make the book worth reading- personal and passionate. I ought to read ROB's book- thanks for the recommendation. Tell me more about EXIT WOUNDS, if you get a chance.

Read Rebel Hearts awhile ago, good book. I thought the main point that came out of it was that it answered many republicans questions about how and why PSF were able to pull off the crushing defeat they have with the tacit support of the base. The once rebel population went running to embrace the process of british entrencement. Throughout the book interviewees from the republican perspective discuss the conflict in terms of 'us against the unionists'. The war was about the discrimination of catholics and the 26 county republicans talk about the 'north' as an abstract almost alien country, many republicans were involved in a campaign to bring about civil rights. So although many republicans were and still are struggling to bring about an end to british rule and the establishment of a socialist republic, many were also involved in it for an almost sectarian reason, to get one over on the prods. Many were supporting a war or engaging in a war to gain things that could be gained via the SDLP, jobs and houses for catholics etc, equal opportunity laws and so on. I think that explains why so many of the republican base so readily seemed to abandon their republicanism because they were merely catholic nationalists afterall and saw the struggle as a way of benefiting catholics rather than as a liberation struggle (despite the rhetoric of their more serious comrades). Blanketmen, by Richard O'Rawe is a very much worth a read too.