Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
The period 1913 to 1922 saw unprecedented upheaval in Irish society: a violent military uprising in 1916 followed by a savage war for independence, the formation of a revolutionary state, and a civil war that tore the country apart. 'War and Revolution in the West of Ireland' explores the history of the entire revolutionary period in Connaught, with particular focus on the ferment and violence in County Galway. Galway was the scene of the most concerted armed struggles outside of Dublin. Liam Mellows led the Irish Volunteers in a Rising in east Galway and up to 700 rebels took up defensive positions at Moyode Castle; in the terror that followed during the War of Independence, clashes between the IRA and British forces left casualties on both sides, including civilians caught in the crossfire. 'War and Revolution in the West of Ireland' captures the bewildering strain of these years, the outbreaks of open violence, and their enduring legacies that are felt in the region today.
Synopsis
'The people generally are out for a Republic and they propose to get it.' - County Inspector RIC, West Galway, July 1920 The period 1913-22 witnessed extraordinary upheaval in Irish society. The Easter Rising of 1916 facilitated the emergence of new revolutionary forces and the eruption of guerrilla warfare. In Galway and elsewhere in the west, the new realities wrought by World War One saw the emergence of a younger generation of impatient revolutionaries. In 1916, Liam Mellows led his Irish Volunteers in a Rising in east Galway and up to 650 rebels took up defensive positions at Moyode Castle. From the western shores of Connemara to market towns such as Athenry, Tuam and Galway, local communities were subject to unprecedented use of terror by the Crown Forces. Meanwhile, conflict over land, an enduring grievance of the poor, threatened to overwhelm parts of Galway with sustained land seizures and cattle drives by the rural population. War and Revolution in the West of Ireland: Galway, 1913-1922 provides fascinating insights into the revolutionary activities of the ordinary men and women who participated in the struggle for independence. In this compelling new account, Galway historian Conor McNamara unravels the complex web of identity and allegiance that characterised the west of Ireland, exploring the enduring legacy of a remarkable and contested era.