Merrion Press

When civil rights protests in the 1960s gave way to armed struggle, the Provisional IRA in Derry ? both city and county ? led the fight against the British security forces. In the city Martin McGuinness ? a young butcher? s assistant from the Bogside ? quickly rose through the ranks, launching a bombing campaign that reduced the city centre to rubble. In tandem, the IRA? s active service units fought the British Army in the streets and alleys of the Bogside, Creggan, Shantallow and the Waterside. Out in the townlands, a new generation from the county? s traditional republican families waged an equally ruthless war against their neighbours in the RUC and UDR. The Derry Brigade? s success would help propel McGuinness to the very top of the IRA? s Army Council.By the early 1980s the Derry Brigade appeared untouchable. However, in reality, Special Branch and British Intelligence had infiltrated it from top to bottom and almost destroyed the brigade. By the mid-1990s its war was all but over, its ranks decimated by death and incarceration. This is the story of that war told by those from all sides who survived it.

Recovering from surgery, Paul Clements and his wife, Felicity, spent a year in a remote cottage in the woodlands of Montalto Estate, Co. Down. Through the lens of a curious observer and a budding bird watcher, Clements describes in exquisite detail his discovery of the restorative power of nature. Beautifully written, A Year in the Woods is a fusion of social and cultural history, nature writing and memoir. Reflecting back on this magical year spent in the woods through the journal he kept, Clements describes his awakening to the wonder of the woodland and developing his deep connection to nature.Peppered with fascinating folklore and history, Clements celebrates the changing seasons, from harsh winter storms to dry languid summer evenings. Clements is a gifted writer, but it is his detailed and often humorous descriptions of the complexities of nature at his doorstep from the foibles and idiosyncrasies of various fauna, to his awe of nature? s resilience to ever-changing weather conditions that ultimately captivates the reader.

In this unrepentant and revealing memoir, Dan Mulvihill, a leading figure in Irish republicanism recounts his fight for an Irish Republic over several decades and his central involvement in key events throughout the twentieth century.Dan Mulvihill was at the heart of many of the most iconic and tumultuous events during Ireland? s revolutionary years. He was an IRA volunteer who fought and killed in the name of Ireland, a loyal ally of É amon de Valera ? who he smuggled out of Dublin at the beginning of the Civil War ? a vehement opponent of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, a member of Liam Lynch? s staff in the anti-Treaty IRA, a prisoner and hunger striker, a spy and intelligence officer.In One Man? s Ireland, Mulvihill details his life story from 1916 to the early 1980s, describing the seminal events in the history of the country as well as the many key figures in republicanism in his native Kerry and nationally. A self-styled maverick and committed revolutionary, Dan Mulvihill was a largely forgotten figure in Irish history, until now.

In 1902, William Bulfin embarked on a cycling tour of Ireland, his musings along the way offering a fascinating glimpse into early 20th-century Ireland during a time of significant social change.Based on a series of articles originally published in nationalist newspapers, Bulfin? s narrative is rich with encounters that reveal the character of the Irish people and their connection to the land. He reflects on sacred historical sites such as Tara and Vinegar Hill, agricultural practices, and the folklore that defines Ireland? s cultural heritage.As he traverses the countryside, Bulfin? s poignant commentary on the socio-political climate following the Land War emphasises his disdain for colonial rule and his hope for Irish freedom. A staunch nationalist and friend of Arthur Griffith, sadly he would not live to see the goals of Irish nationalism realised.With its vivid descriptions and evocative storytelling, Rambles in Eirinn serves as both a nostalgic tribute to a changing Ireland and an insightful exploration of its enduring spirit, making it a timeless read for lovers of travel literature and Irish history alike.

In our modern, distracted world it is easy to miss the kaleidoscope of life that exists on our doorsteps.Stretching nearly thirty kilometers from the Wicklow Mountains to the Grand Canal Dock, the River Dodder offers a serene escape into nature in our capital city. In Wild Waterways, Robert O? Leary showcases the river? s rich biodiversity through stunning photography and informative text in Irish and English.In these pages, you are invited to pause and reconnect with the teeming wildlife that surrounds us - kingfishers diving, otters playing, wagtails busily foraging and emperor dragonflies patrolling the river? s surface for prey.Showcasing birds, mammals and insects in glorious detail, these dazzling images remind us that you? re never too young, too old or too busy to ? stand and stare? and reconnect with the natural world in all its glory.

Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Martin Dillon returns to shine a light on the role of women in the Troubles, amplifying voices long silenced by the din of history.Through raw and compelling testimonies from both sides of the community, Dillon explores the overlooked perspectives of women whose lives were impacted by the brutal conflict. Some were directly involved in violence as members of paramilitary organisations. Many witnessed the ruthless murders of family members. All were profoundly and irrevocably affected by the violence and its aftermath.Former IRA volunteers, the wife of notorious UDA Commander Stevie ? Top Gun? McKeag, a survivor of the 1974 Dublin bombings and the daughter of a murdered judge share their stories among many others, their words reverberating with the intensity of their experiences.Dillon also unmasks the shadowy dealings of British intelligence and the impact of collusion on unsolved murders, exposing the layers of deception that have haunted families and communities.The Sorrow and the Loss is an eye-opening exploration of the previously unwritten history of the Troubles.