History

Guerilla Days in Ireland by Tom Barry

Tuesday, 20 October 2009 08:11 Tom Barry

Guerilla Days In Ireland is a fascinating memoir of the Irish struggle for Independence from the commander of the Third West Cork Flying Column.

Guerilla Days in Ireland is the extraordinary story of the fight between two unequal forces, which ended in the withdrawal of the British from twenty-six counties.

Seven weeks before the truce to the Anglo-Irish War of July, 1921, the British presence in County Cork consisted of 8,800 front line infantry troops, 1,150 Black & Tan soldiers, 540 Auxiliaries, 2,080 machine gun corps, artillery and other unites -- a total of over 12,500 men. Against these British forces stood the Irish Republican Army whose Flying Columns never exceeded 310 riflemen in the whole of County Cork.

The Munster Republic - The Civil War in North Cork by Michael Harrrington

Tuesday, 20 October 2009 08:06 Michael Harrington

Follows the course of the Civil War in North Cork, the crucible of events in ‘the Munster Republic’

The fall of Limerick and the Free State victory during the pitched battle at Kilmallock started a new phase of the Civil War.

Although the towns of North Cork were occupied by Free State troops, the IRA brigades under officers like Liam Deasy, Tom Barry and Liam Lynch were still active until 15 May 1923 when HQ Cork No. 4 Brigade issued orders warning all officers who failed to obey the ceasefire order that they would face court-martial.

The Orange Order

Wednesday, 30 September 2009 23:00 Mervyn Jess

Born out of bloodshed, sustained by sectarianism and shrouded in secrecy, the Orange Order is one of the most abiding and controversial religion-based organisations in Europe, if not the world. A Catholic cannot join: its doors are open only to those who profess Protestantism.

BBC journalist Mervyn Jess, who has written extensively on Orange issues, strips away the mystery and myths of the Order and traces its origins and defining moments spanning three turbulent centuries.

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in finding out what “the Orange” is all about.