A vivid chronicle of the first blow in the Irish revolution - by the people who were there In 1947 the Bureau of Military History was established by the Irish government to record the experiences of those who took part in the fight for independence. In 1959, the results of this research - including 1,773 'witness statements' - were placed in 83 steel boxes and locked into a strongroom in Government Buildings. Rebels, edited by one of Ireland's top young historians, brings the best of the surviving accounts of the Easter Rising together into a comprehensive, accessible and thrillingly readable telling of that much-debated insurrection, the first in a series of events that brought about Irish independence. From the witnesses' recollections of their schooling and other childhood influences to their accounts of what happened at Easter 1916, Rebels tells this famous story in a new and exhilarating way. 'A remarkable book' Pat Kenny, RTE 'If you want to know what [the Rising] was actually like, then Rebels is a good place to start' Sunday Business Post 'The most moving material concerns the surrender and the aftermath, including imprisonment and the identification and interrogation of key figures in the Rising' Irish Times

Rebels

History

McGarry, Fearghal

Europe

Penguin Ireland

The Rising: Ireland: Easter 1916

Based on a recently released trove of over 1,700 eye-witness statements, this gripping volume tells the story of the Easter Rising as seen through the eyes of the rebels themselves, capturing in crisp, unflinching detail what the nascent Irish revolution actually felt like. As it chronicles the activities of members of Sinn Féin, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Cumann na mBan, and the Irish Volunteers, this compelling volume addresses a range of key questions that continue to divide historians of modern Ireland: What led people from ordinary backgrounds to fight for Irish freedom? What did they think they could achieve given the superior forces arrayed against them? What kind of republic were they willing to kill and die for? Fearghal McGarry deftly interweaves the oral history of the rank-and-file revolutionaries of the Rising into a comprehensive, yet powerfully affecting narrative--one that The Boston Globe called "vivid and compelling" and "a poignant mosaic of idealism, bravery, and humanity."

Oxford University Press

The Easter Rising of 1916 not only destroyed much of the centre of Dublin -- it changed the course of Irish history. But why did it happen? What was the role of ordinary people in this extraordinary event? What motivated them and what were their aims? These basic questions continue to divide historians of modern Ireland. The Rising is the story of Easter 1916 from the perspective of those who made it, focusing on the experiences of rank and file revolutionaries. Fearghal McGarry makes use of a unique source that has only recently seen the light of day -- a collection of over 1,700 eye-witness statements detailing the political activities of members of Sinn Fein and militant groups such as the Irish Republican Brotherhood. This collection represents one of the richest and most comprehensive oral history archives devoted to any modern revolution, providing new insights on almost every aspect of this seminal period. The Rising shows how people from ordinary backgrounds became politicized and involved in the struggle for Irish independence. McGarry illuminates their motives, concerns, and aspirations, highlighting the importance of the Great War as a catalyst for the uprising. He concludes by exploring the Rising's revolutionary aftermath, which in time saw the creation of the independent state we see today. This edition includes a new preface which reflects on the continuing importance of the Easter Rising as a symbol of Irish nationhood, and which looks at the 2016 centenary commemorations in both Ireland and the UK within the wider context of the 'Decade of Centenaries.'

The Rising (New Edition): Ireland: Easter 1916

Eoin O'Duffy: A Self-Made Hero

Eoin O'Duffy was one of the most controversial figures of modern Irish history. A guerrilla leader and protégé of Michael Collins, he rose rapidly through the ranks of the republican movement. By 1922 he was chief of staff of the IRA, a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood's Supreme Council, and a Sinn Féin deputy in Dáil Éireann. As chief of police, O'Duffy was the strongest defender of the Irish Free State only to become, after his emergence as leader of the Blueshirt movement in 1933, the greatest threat to its survival. Increasingly drawn to international fascism, he founded Ireland's first fascist party, and led an Irish Brigade to fight under General Franco in the Spanish Civil War. He died in wartime Dublin, a Nazi collaborator, and a broken man.   This study, the first ever biography of Eoin O'Duffy, draws on unpublished archival and personal papers to trace his journey from revolutionary republicanism to fascism. It examines the importance of cultural forces, including the legacy of the Irish-Ireland movement, Catholicism, anti-communism, and O'Duffy's ideas on sports, morality, and masculinity to explain his descent into extremism. McGarry peels away the public persona to reveal a complex picture of the motives which drove this extraordinary career. A crusading moralist and advocate of teetotalism, obsessed with the need to counter public immorality, who was at the same time a closet homosexual and alcoholic, O'Duffy's remarkable life was characterised by self-aggrandisement, fantasy, and contradiction.   This fascinating biography explores themes as diverse as cultural nationalism, violence, sectarianism, militarism, and masculinity to shed new light on Irish republicanism and the politics of interwar European fascist movements. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of culture, politics, and society in interwar Ireland.

Biographies & Memoirs

Historical

Eoin O'Duffy was one of the most controversial figures of modern Irish history. A leader of the Irish revolution, and protégé of Michael Collins, he commanded the Irish police and defense forces, before emerging as Ireland's leading fascist politician in the 1930s. A crusading moralist, obsessed with the need to counter public immorality, and a closet homosexual and alcoholic, O'Duffy's remarkable life was characterised by self-aggrandisement, fantasy, and contradiction.

Based on a recently released trove of over 1,700 eye-witness statements, this gripping volume tells the story of the Easter Rising as seen through the eyes of the rebels themselves, capturing in crisp, unflinching detail what the nascent Irish revolution actually felt like. As it chronicles the activities of members of Sinn F�in, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, Cumann na mBan, and the Irish Volunteers, this compelling volume addresses a range of key questions that continue to divide historians of modern Ireland: What led people from ordinary backgrounds to fight for Irish freedom? What did they think they could achieve given the superior forces arrayed against them? What kind of republic were they willing to kill and die for? Fearghal McGarry deftly interweaves the oral history of the rank-and-file revolutionaries of the Rising into a comprehensive, yet powerfully affecting narrative--one that The Boston Globe called "vivid and compelling" and "a poignant mosaic of idealism, bravery, and humanity."

Rebels: Voices From The Easter Rising

One of the most famous revolutionaries in Irish history, Frank Ryan fought in the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War, before becoming a leader of the inter-war Irish Republican Army. Embracing socialist republicanism in the 1930s, Ryan became a founding member of the short-lived but influential Republican Congress, and led the Irish contingent within the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War. Following his capture by Franco's forces, his release was secured by the efforts of German military intelligence which sought to use him to further its wartime alliance with the IRA. He spent the final years of his life as an advisor to the Nazi regime. This study provides a concise reinterpretation of Ryan's controversial life and legacy based on primary sources, including much previously unpublished material.

Frank Ryan (Life and Times New Series)

University College Dublin Press

Contains: A Chronicle of Jails by Darrell Figgis, Civil War in Ulster by Joseph Johnston, Free State or Republic by Padraig de Burca, Rising Out: Sean Connolly of Longford by Ernie O'Malley, Victory and Woe by Mossie Hartnett, The Victory of Sinn Fein by P.S. O'Hegarty

Centenary Classics

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McGarry, Fearghal. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by McGarry, Fearghal

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McGarry, Fearghal. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Rebels

The Rising: Ireland: Easter 1916

The Rising (New Edition): Ireland: Easter 1916

The Rising (New Edition): Ireland: Easter 1916

Eoin O'Duffy: A Self-Made Hero

Eoin O'Duffy: A Self-Made Hero

The Rising: Ireland: Easter 1916

Rebels: Voices From The Easter Rising

Frank Ryan (Life and Times New Series)

Centenary Classics