An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 37 author: Conor Kostick publisher: O'Briens Press (October 2015) www.obrien.ie isBn: 9781847173355 price: €14.99 pages: 272 Michael O'Hanrahan was one of 16 people executed after the 1916 rising. Probably one of the lesser known of the executed, at least to this reader. The author explains why he believes Michael was executed. This was probably a combination of several factors, including, intelligence reports which had observed him in contact with other leaders, his entering and leaving No 2 Dawson Street, the Volunteers headquarters as observed by the G men, and he was as an Irish Volunteer Officer at the head of his Volunteers after their surrender. Ten distinct chapters take the reader through the stages of Michael O'Hanrahan's life, starting with Michael's Father, Richard who was a member of the IRB and a "corkcutter" by trade. The reader will also learn some social history along the way. Michael was born on 16 January 1877 in New Ross into a family whose values included, education and republicanism. Michael chose not to sit an exam for the civil service as employment would have required an oath of allegiance to the Queen. He, as an adult along with his siblings set about learning the Irish language, Michael been the most passionate. He joined the Gaelic League on 4 March 1898 (age 21) and set up evening classes in Carlow for the teaching of Irish. Michael also worked for various publications including Fainne an Lae (1898) and An Claaidheamh Soluis. Michael kept himself busy and was involved in various organisations, such as the Gaelic League, the Irish Volunteers, possibly the IRB, An Comhairle Naisiunta (National Council), St Laurence O'Tooles GAC in Dublin, and various publications. He established a Gaelic League branch and a Workingman's club in Carlow. When the family moved for business reasons to Dublin, Michael began to use his skill for organising at a National level. He was an Officer in the Irish Volunteers from the outset in 1913 in a Dublin Unit. He was also a novelist, having wrote "A Swordsman of the Brigade" published in 1918, "Patches" and other work which was never published having been confiscated during raids at his Dublin home. Michael was passionate about Nationalism, the Irish language, and other related interests. I found chapters 8,9, and 10 of most interest, as they cover Michael the Fighter, Prisoner and the aftermath. you cannot help but feel Michael's passion for what mattered to him and sense the sadness at the end for Michael, his Mother and the siblings he left behind. DK 16 lives, MiCHael o' HanraHan dE HaVilland MosQuito author: Philip Birtles publisher: Fonthill Media (November 2015) http://fonthillmedia.com isBn: 798-1781554944 price: €36.00 H/B pages: 272 I was pleased to see this book up for review as the Mosquito holds a special place in my aviation interest and history as one of the first films that I ever saw was '633 Squadron' and from the moment that I saw that beautiful wing and heard the beat of those two Merlin's I was hooked for life. I grew to appreciate this aircraft as the multi-role machine that it was. years passed and my own career in flight matured and led to a face to face meeting with one of the type at Casement Aerodrome in 1986. It looked well, sounded great in the air and on the ground and it was displayed very well indeed. The Mosquito was unusual and for all the right reasons and this book spells out in detail and easy to read layout why it was so. It is laid out in two parts – construction and operations – and tells an intriguing story of ingenuity and clever design awareness. At a time when metal was in short supply and was classified as a strategic material and aircraft construction personnel experienced in metal construction techniques were also in very short supply what else would you choose to make the worlds' fastest fighter out of but wood? Wood was not a strategic material, it could be worked on by the workforce of the whole furniture industry (which was idle NOT making furniture) and furthermore the dispersed nature of this soon-to-be-strategic industry lent it a certain immunity from enemy air attack. The design was 'clean' aerodynamically speaking, powerful and well-armed and it left the earlier mark of Spitfire in its dust by some 20mph! The book is very well laid out and presented, and it outlines in detail the many changes made to the various marks of Mosquito to better suit them for the many roles and missions that they were employed in during the war. It is also very well illustrated by what seems like a picture of every one of the near 7000 Mosquito's ever built, although it actually covers all marks produced in either England, Canada or Australia! The author captures the versatile innovative nature of the Mosquito, giving a very detailed read, with interesting anecdotes drawn from combat operations in the many roles in which the Mosquito flew. I enjoyed the read and recommend it to any student or admirer of one of the most remarkable aircraft of the Second World War. 'by brig Gen William Paul Fry, GOC AC

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