Nearly 2,000 people gave detailed statements to the Bureau of Military History between 1947 and 1957 about their role in Ireland's fight for freedom. The statements are the recollections of many of those who participated in the 1916 Easter Rising and the War of Independence, 1919-1921. Recently released to scholars and researchers, they allow a much broader view of what actually happened in the fateful decade that led to independence from the British Empire. They offer a remarkable window into a tumultuous era in Ireland’s modern history when men and women rose up against British rule and demanded independence.
The statements examined in the book reflect the views of republican men and women from all facets of society. They were urban and rural dwellers middle and working-class individuals, farmers, labourers and professionals, all of whom, came together in the pursuit of one common goal. Their statements confirm the commitment they gave to the independence cause and are testaments to the courage and determination they displayed in their efforts to achieve a free and independent Ireland.
Eamonn Duggan explores the individual contributions of these remarkable people, and what they add to the history we thought we knew. A fascinating view of a vital period in Irish history, from 1913 to Independence.
Table of Contents:
Introduction page 9
Chapter 1 The Witness Statements Archive 17
Chapter 2 The Truth About the Rising 21
Chapter 3 Cork Awaits the Call to Arms 30
Chapter 4 An Influential Monsignor 37
Chapter 5 The Curious Tale of 198 Parnell Street 52
Chapter 6 Procuring Arms and Gathering Intelligence 59
Chapter 7 Tipperary Republicans Lead the Way 68
Chapter 8 Ambushes and Attacks in the Rebel County 80
Chapter 9 The Brave Republican Women 93
Chapter 10 Father Aloysius: Chaplain to the Republican Heroes 104
Chapter 11 Frank Thornton: An Extraordinary Life in Irish Republicanism 117
Chapter 12 Vincent Byrne: Committed to the Republic and the Squad 135
Chapter 13 Seán Moylan: Committed Republican and Outstanding Military Leader 156
Chapter 14 Tadhg Kennedy: A Proud Kerryman and a True Patriot 183
Chapter 15 Eamon (Ned) Broy: An Extraordinary Policeman and Courageous Republican 199
Chapter 16 Cumann na mBan: The Unsung Heroines of the War of Independence 217
Chapter 17 Áine Ceannt: The Quintessential Republican Woman 231
Postscript: The Legacy of the Civil War and the Road to Recovery 246
About the Author :
EAMONN DUGGAN is a native of Wexford Town. A retired teacher and former Head of History at Avondale Community College in Rathdrum, County Wicklow, he holds a Master’s Degree in Modern History. Historian in residence for Ireland’s Own magazine, he has contributed in excess of 400 articles to the magazine, and is the main contributor to the very successful and popular Centenary Annual since 2016. He has been commissioned to write a special issue on the life of Michael Collins, to be published on the centenary of his death in August 2022. Eamonn has also contributed to various academic and historical society publications. In 2014, he delivered the annual Ivy Day oration in commemoration of Charles Stewart Parnell.
Review :
In the spirit of Antony Beevor and Max Hastings … practically every page of this book contains some fascinating detail … it is a penetrating insight into the human reality of this tumultuous period, and of the bravery of ordinary men and women who fought for the cause of Irish freedom
beautifully produced … In the book Duggan brings the reader many stories of unsung heroes, tragedy and raw courage, incredible inventiveness and resourcefulness … a collection of wonderful stories from an era which continues to enthral and engage those of us who are interested in Ireland's modern history.
beautifully produced … In the book Duggan brings the reader many stories of unsung heroes, tragedy and raw courage, incredible inventiveness and resourcefulness … a collection of wonderful stories from an era which continues to enthral and engage those of us who are interested in Ireland's modern history
fascinating
we get wonderful insights into the involvement of different men and women but [it’s] not just the great and the good and the heroic figures [who] are the ones who are dominating the events, these are very much ordinary men and women who lived their normal lives but got caught up in some extraordinary activities … incredible collection of stories and anecdotes and insights into the revolutionary decade
An overview of the revolutionary decade drawn from the Witness Statements archive is revealed in Eamonn Duggan’s We Go Into Action Today at Noon... Seventeen chapters provide invaluable recollections of the organisation of battalions and flying columns, procuring arms and ammunition, spying and intelligence work, and other subjects. Those interviews were carried out by the Bureau of Military History from 1947-57, covering the period of the Easter Rising up to the War of Independence. The statements are a comprehensive roadmap of the decade and capture significant stories from not only the men but also the women who joined Cumann na mBan. They paint a portrait of who took part in military operations across the country shedding light on the political manoeuvres and wider thinking in republican circles. Stirring accounts of the Rising include those of Michael Staines, Quartermaster General of the Irish Volunteers from 1913-16 who was in the GPO. And from Monsignor Michael Curran - secretary to the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walsh - who kept a personal dairy of the fast-moving events and was a witness to shootings and lootings
