An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 31 The lesson to be learned from this series of books is that a better way to resolve our differences must be found; a way forward that doesn't involve loss of life. Through co-operation and discussion, we can hope that the aspirations of those who went before us can be achieved and a greater, stronger Ireland will emerge; an Ireland that will welcome diverse opinions and use them to drive change for the benefit of all. Our civil war ended reluctantly, and its legacy remains today, with many still bearing the mental scars: memories of family losses, of aspirations unachieved, of the horror of brother against brother, of families divided, of the physical and human cost. We still argue over whether Collins or de Valera was 'right', over which side created the greatest atrocity, which was the more brutal. It is easy to forget that both sides were fighting because they thought their way was the best way to achieve a single, strong republic on this island. We glorify the great lead- ers on both sides, but the foot soldiers, those who paid the greatest price, are often forgot- ten as we look at the 'big picture'. But every great leader needs men and women to lead; without foot soldiers there can be no generals, there cannot be a leader. In The Forgotten Fallen, and the next two volumes, I hope to show the real people who paid the ultimate price for what was, in reality, a war about the tactics to be used in another war. There were three sides, not two, in the Civil War: the two com- batants, of course, but also the civilians who often ended up as 'collateral damage', as the modern euphemism would describe them. Therefore, as we approach the centenary of the Civil War it is important to acknowledge the deaths on all sides, which is my objective in these books. It is extremely important that we respect the past, educate ourselves about it, be aware of it, treasure it, honour it as a teacher … and learn from it. However, we must not make the mistake of living in it, for to do so would be to disrespect those who died on all sides of this tragic conflict. They died so that we could be united, not divided. They died in war, that we could remember them in peace. Finally, the Fallen trilogy will be a final account of the Civil War – not a narrative account, but a set of financial accounts where the unit of currency used is manpower. Laid out in these three books, as clearly as any accountant would record the amount a company owes its creditors, is the debt we owe to those who went before us; the price paid for our freedom; what we owe to our past. It is a debt that almost bankrupted us as a nation; a debt we are duty bound to ensure we never incur again. The Forgotten Fallen: The fallen of the Irish Civil War (volume 1), was reviewed in our last issue, but we cover the book launch at the start of this issue. Medics attending a wounded soldier during the conflict, location unknown, possibly Kerry. Medics in the field. The author reading the names of the fallen on the Army plot in Glasnevin Cemetery. Funeral of Captain Luke Condron, the first state funeral of the Irish Free State. Funeral of 'Squad' man Eddie Byrne, who died before the Civil War broke out. Both sides attended his funeral at the Republican plot in Glasnevin.

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