An Cosantóir

38 | book Shootout: The Battle for St Stephen's Green, 1916 (1916 In Focus) Author: Paul O'Brien Publisher: New Island (March 2013) www.newisland.ie Pages: 112 ISBN: 978-1848402119 Price: €12.99 Retired Chief of Staff Lt Gen Gerry McMahon DSM launching the book at Hodges Figgis on Dawson Street, Dublin. Photo by Cpl Paul Millar book St Stephen's Green is a truly magnificent and picturesque place, but nearly 100 years ago it was the site of a fierce battle between the Irish Volunteers and British forces during the 1916 Easter Rising. The leadership of the Rising knew that St Stephen's Green would be a strategic location and accordingly deployed the 2nd Battalion, Irish Volunteers, to the Jacob's Biscuits building on Aungier Street and the 3rd Battalion to Boland's Bakery in Ringsend as flanking units. Meanwhile, Comdt Michael Mallin, a 14-year veteran of expansionist campaigns of the British Empire, took up position in the Green with his 160 volunteers, men and women. Entering the park through the Fusiliers' Arch, they set up a command post at a park kiosk near Lord Ardilaun's statue (aka Sir Arthur Guinness). Then they began to dig-in. With slit-trenches and foxholes dug and the heavy foliage of the Green's large trees providing cover from view, they awaited the advancing British forces. The ensuing battle lasted for seven days until eventually the volunteers 'mouseholed' their way through the College of Surgeons and connected buildings to avoid capture. In his enjoyable and informative book O'Brien explains the tactics and orders of both sides as the battle progressed and gives depth and colour to an often overlooked operation from the Rising. O'Brien is a master story teller and continues his high standard with this his third book in the '1916 In Focus' series and this his fifth book overall on this period of Irish history. About the author: Paul O'Brien has carried out extensive research into Irish and British military deployments during the 1916 Rising and has written a number of works focusing on the military aspects of the Rising. This original writing has brought new life to the military history of 1916. A keen collector of toy soldiers, he currently resides in Dublin with his wife Marion. www.paulobrienauthor.ie Twice a Hero From the trenches of the Great War to the ditches of the Irish Midlands 1915-1922 Author: Phil Tomkins Publisher: Memoirs Publishing (Oct 2012) memoirspublishing.com Pages: 253 ISBN: 978-1909304307 Price: €10.60 (amazon.co.uk) "A soldier's story written by a soldier" George Adamson, joined the 10th Irish Division in 1915, and was inducted into the Leinster Regiment and saw service in Salonika and Macedonia, 1916-1917. On his return to Ireland George joined the Athlone Brigade of the IRA. Phil Tompkins's book is based on the tale of his paternal granduncle Brig Gen George Adamson who fought in the Great War and the Irish War of Independence. George became a heroic young Irishman, a gallant soldier, patriot and rebel when he fought through many campaigns in our history. During his research for the book Phil found that heroes like Brig Gen George Adamson, and other volunteers who An Cosantóir July/August 2013 www.dfmagazine.ie had fought and died to liberate Ireland, lie buried in an untended cemetery. Phil wanted to make sure that their stories and memories are recorded for future reference both for his family and so that they are remembered as the heroes they were by a grateful nation. Phil Tomkins was born in Dublin and educated at CBS Westland Row. In 2008 he was awarded a BA Hons Degree in Creative Writing by the University of Bolton, England. An ex-elite forces soldier his writing reflects continuing interest in military history. Phil is working on his next book 'Once a Soldier' and currently resides in the North of England, in semi-retirement with his wife Maree. www.philtomkins.com

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