Wednesday 31 January 2018

The O'Rahilly Easter Rising Stories

Directed and edited by Marcus Howard, independent film maker. Proinsias O'Rathaille is the grandson of The O'Rahilly who was shot in Moore Street and the son of Bridie Clyne, who was in Cumann Na mBan. He is attached to the Save Moore Street Campaign, Concerned Relatives of the Signatories to the 1916 Proclamation and the 1916 Relatives Centenary Initiative Group.

Easter Rising Stories is an independent series of films by Marcus Howard, an independent film maker. The videos are not for profit but rather for educational means. The aim of the series is to try to capture the recollections of relatives of the Easter Rising of 1916 as well as to document events and stories relating to the Easter Rising. If you are interested in getting in touch please contact:
easterrisingstories@gmail.com

Tuesday 30 January 2018

Book Review We Bled Together: Michael Collins, The Squad and the Dublin Brigade

Irish History Book Review

We Bled Together: Michael Collins, The Squad and the Dublin Brigade
Hardback
€24.99
This thrilling account of the daring espionage and killings carried out by both sides on Dublin’s streets during the War of independence is vividly brought to life by Dominic Price using eyewitness testimonies and war diaries. Price reveals their meticulous research into guerrilla tactics employed by the Cubans in their War of Independence, the 2nd Boer War and General von Lettow-Vorbeck against the British in east Africa. He shows Collins and the Dublin Brigade’s desperate methods; improvised explosive devices, chemical weapons.  Their sacrifice and determination to bring to birth Irish freedom is well recorded in this intimate and poignant book.   

Extract:
‘The Squad never questioned Collins’ reasons for having someone killed. Mick Collins, as far as members of the squad were concerned, ‘was the kind of man it was easy to trust’ … The risks and danger experienced by his operatives affected Collins greatly and he could visualise their suffering. Eamon Broy, who spent a lot of time with the Director of Ira intelligence, related how Collins described events:
        
Collins had such a remarkable power of description that, listening to him, one could form a        
vivid mental picture of the occurrences he described. For instance, in his account of the tortures of  
Hales and Harte in West Cork, the impression he created was a vivid as if one actually saw the 
pliers being used to tear the flesh from the victim. These tortures were inflicted by the British
Army long before the Black and Tans came to the country. As a result of his treatment Harte went insane.’