An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 33 Author: Mary McAuliffe & Liz Gillis Publisher: Four Courts Press (July 2016) www.fourcourtspress.ie iSbn: 978-1907002328 Price: €22.45 Pages: 320 'Richmond Barracks 1916: We Were There - 77 Women of the Easter Rising,' is a collaboration between historians Mary McAuliffe and Liz Gillis detailing the lives of those women that participated in the struggle for an Irish Republic and their incarceration in Richmond Barracks after the insurrection. Over 3,000 republican prisoners were held at the Barracks, including seventy- seven women, in the aftermath of the Easter Rising. The leaders of the Rising were also held within its walls and court- martialled before being transferred to Kilmainham Gaol for their execution. This work, released in conjunction with the current preservation and conservation project at Richmond Barracks is a welcome edition, not only for incorporating the events in the barracks but also enlightening the reader to many of the Risings participants and their actions that week. While the important role that women played during the Rising has, in recent years, been acknowledged, this book examines the events through their lives and experiences. The book contains detailed biographies of the women which enable the reader to connect with these revolutionary women and understand where they came from, their hopes and dreams, their motivations, education, class, politicisation and what were the contributing factors that made them participate in one of the most historic episodes in our nation's history. An interesting feature of the book is that there are small photographs of the women beside their biographies. This acts as an important reference as they may, in the future, be used to identify the women as more photographs and memorabilia come into the public domain. This well written, well researched and detailed book highlights the contribution and sacrifices that women made to Ireland's struggle for independence and makes for essential reading on the period. PC richMOnd barracKs 1916: We Were there 77 Women of the Easter Rising truce: Murder, Myth and the last days Of the irish War Of independence Author: Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc Publisher: Mercier Press (December 2016) www.mercierpress.ie iSbn: 978-1781173855 Price: €17.99 Pages: 384 Many people believe that when a truce is called during wartime, both sides cease hostilities but nothing is further from the truth. On 8th July 1921, a Truce between the Irish Republican Army and British Forces was announced which was to come into effect three days later on the 11th July. During those few summer days between the 8th and 11th July, it is estimated that sixty people were killed as British and Republican forces continued their war, ignoring orders from their respective commands. Truce: Murder, Myth and the Last Days of the Irish War of Independence is the latest work by historian Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, which examines this often overlooked and bloody episode in our nation's history. This meticulously researched work examines in detail the political and military origins of the Truce before looking at the killings that took place as the Truce was coming into effect. The author examines the deaths under a number of headings such as those of suspected spies, attacks on off-duty British soldiers and pre-Truce offensives and IRA operations. Ó Ruairc also examines fatalities inflicted by British Forces during this period revealing that both sides were conducting operations, debunking the century old myth that the IRA had launched a campaign to kill as many people as possible before the Truce. Events such as Belfast's 'Bloody Sunday' are also examined in detail, revealing the terror of sectarian rioting that resulted in the deaths of twenty-two people, which today goes almost un-noticed. The insurgency and counterinsurgency warfare that dominated the Irish War of Independence was brutal in its extreme and the killings continued right on, up and beyond the wire. Ó Ruairc's highly detailed, vivid and revealing story is an in-depth analysis of this controversial period in Irish history. An essential read. Po'b ranger: intrepid 4.5 Author: Chris Allen Publisher: Momentum (April 2016) momentumbooks.com.au ASin: B01BTPI91G Price: €3.50 Pages: 70 Alex Morgan Interpol's 'black-ops' Intelligence, Recovery, Protection and Infiltration (INTREPID) Division's special agent has returned from a successful Helldiver mission. In Ranger INTREPID 4.5 we continue with a short story that adds some back- story to Alex's character. Highly decorated US war hero John Nash has discovered a sinister plot involving a billionaire and a senator, between prostitutes and embassy's he needs to tell somebody. Nash is down on his luck and living on the streets, invisible to these high flyers whom he watches coming and going without any suspicion. Alex receives a message seeking help from an old Ranger buddy and he owes him for saving his life in Afghanistan a few years back. Alex is drawn by his old friendship and his debt, but has to go unsanctioned and off the books to help. Alex confirms everything Nash provides as evidence, which he passes on to the Interpol agency in Washington. When Alex is checking Nash's story he comes across newspaper stories about a vigilante – is there a connection? Alex decides to help his homeless veteran buddy and goes rogue to catch the senator, and figure out why a billionaire's assistant regularly visits the embassy of an old 'cold war' opponent. Chris Allen has signed a deal for a full INTREPID series to appear on the big and small screens from 2016 and beyond. WF

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