An accessible overview of Ireland's War of Independence, 1919-21. From the first shooting of RIC constables in Soloheadbeg, Co Tipperary, on 21 January 1919 to the truce in July 1921, the IRA carried out a huge range of attacks on all levels of British rule in Ireland. There are stories of humanity, such as the British soldiers who helped three IRA men escape from prison or the members of the British Army who mutinied in India after hearing about the reprisals being carried out by the Black and Tans in Ireland.

The hundreds of thousands of people who celebrated the Centenary of the 1916 Rising with pride and joy are the same people who will appreciate the story of the Irish Republicans who battled against all odds in the next phase of the fight for Ireland between 1919 and 1921.



Introduction page 7



Administrators in Dublin Castle 12



Timeline of the War of Independence 15



Chapter One Proclaiming a Republic 24



Chapter Two Discontent and Rebellious Intentions 39



Chapter Three True Faith and Allegiance 65



Chapter Four Low-Down Lot of Scoundrels 86



Chapter Five Thrown Out in the Gutter 104



Chapter Six A More Defiant Attitude 124



Chapter Seven Trench Coat, Bandolier and Leggings 138



Chapter Eight They Who Can Suffer Most 151



Chapter Nine Kill Or Be Killed 172



Chapter Ten The Demesne Walls Were Tumbling 187



Chapter Eleven Broke in All Directions 215



Chapter Twelve Irish National Aspirations 234



Conclusion 251



Notes 255



Index 265



well researched



tells it as it was



lots of interesting facts



If you're looking for a broad overview of how the War of Independence developed across the country between the years 1919 and 1921, there's plenty of reading … offers an accessible laypersons guide … a brilliant primer



an excellent and meticulously researched study of that turbulent time in our nation's history … this hardback volume should not be missed by anyone with an interest in Irish history



takes the reader on a forensic but accessible journey through the course of the conflict. A timeline of significant events and evocative photographs from the period help build a vividly compelling account