An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir October 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 36 | Author: Kenneth Lesley-Dixon Publisher: Pen and Sword Military (July 2018) www.pen-and-sword.co.uk ISBN: 978-1526729170 Pages: 128 Price: €11.79 It is no secret that during the Troubles Britain employed a number of Special Forces and intelligence agencies in Northern Ireland to combat Republican and Loyalist paramilitary organisations. Northern Ireland, The Troubles: From the Provos to the Det, 1968-1998 takes an in- depth look at those special units and their deployment in the region. Divided into three sections, the work takes in Nationalist Paramilitary Organisations such as the IRA and the INLA. Part two examines Loyalist Paramilitary groups such as the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando to name but a few. However, what I found interesting about this work is part three which covers British Security Forces. While we know of the RUC and Special Branch and regular British Army Units in the region, the book delves into the work of units such as the SAS, MRF, the Special Reconnaissance Unit, 14 Field Security & Intelligence Company and the Force Research Unit and MI5. While there are a number of these types of books on the market, this book is unique as it delves into the recruitment for these units, how they operated, what their mandate was and what they actually did. The author uses previously unpublished information that provides unique records of surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, collusion, under- cover work, combat and murder. A good read and highly recommended work that also has excellent maps as well as a number of black and white photographs. P O' B NORTHERN IRELAND, THE TROUBLES: FROM THE PROVOS TO THE DET, 1968-1998 WAR & REVOLUTION IN THE WEST OF IRELAND; GALWAY 1913 – 1923 Author: Conor McNamara Publisher: Irish Academic Press (April 2018) http://irishacademicpress.ie ISBN: 978-1785371608 Pages: 220 Price: €16.99 PB, €44.99 HB This, the fourth work by renowned historian Conor McNamara provides a fascinating insight into the revolutionary activities of those involved in the struggle for Irish independence in County Galway from 1913 to 1923. Rural communities found themselves on the front line of a guerrilla campaign and often suffered at the hands of crown forces as they retaliated for attacks against their numbers. The book consists of a number of essays that consist of agrarian agitation, rural society and the outbreak of World War One, Liam Mellows and the 1916 Rising, the rise of Sinn Féin, three chapters covering the various periods during the War of Independence and the aftermath of the conflict. Of particular interest are the appendixes that consist lists of names of those involved in the West Connemara Flying Column, North Galway Flying Column and South Galway Flying Column as well as those killed in County Galway during the period of January to July 1921. The author captures not only the revolutionary activities of the men and women of Galway but unravels the complex web of identity and allegiance that has characterised the west of the country during this turbulent period in our history. Though this is an academic work it is well written and an easy and very in formative read. PC THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MR. JOSEPH SOAP Author: Thomas Martin Publisher: Green Thread Press (June 2018) http://thomasmartin.ie/ ISBN: 978-1999962012 Pages: 406 Price: €12.89 PB, €5.98 eBook This fictional debut book of wit, wisdom and blinkered logic that will forever exist within the spirit of one of nature's finest ever creations..... the auld Irish granddad, is the work of serving DF member MP Cpl Thomas Martin. While on a UN peacekeeping mission in the Middle East, Tommy used his free time in what proved to be the most enjoyable and gratifying of ways. Hidden from prying eyes beneath a patched-up mosquito net and armed only with his trusted laptop, he set about freeing The Life and Times of Mr. Joseph Soap from his imagination. 'Inspired by the late arrival of his sixth grandchild, Joseph Soap realises that his advancing age will prevent him experiencing the same depth of relationship he presently enjoys with his older grandchildren, so he decides to write his autobiography in the hope of forging a lasting bond. Joseph uses each milestone in his life as a means of passing on advice to his grandson and from each bump in the road he manages to produce practical guidance on a whole host of subjects, including the importance of standing up to bullies, the benefits of an appeasing white lie and the belief in one's own self-worth. The decades unfold as Joseph recounts an ever-changing life amid an ever-changing world. As a S.O.A.P. — or Senior Old Age Pensioner, as he refers to himself in an attempt to rebel against a seemingly ageist and shallow society — Joseph takes us on the journey of his lifetime, proving that even 'everyday people' live lives worth documenting for future generations to come.' The book is available to download on Kindle and Apple. Paperback editions can be purchased through Amazon, Alan Hanna's Bookshop and from Age Action shops nationwide - with 20% of the proceeds being donated to Age Action Ireland. WF

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