Ernie O'Malley (1897-1957) was one of the most talented and colourful of modern Irish republicans. An important IRA leader in the 1916-1923 Irish Revolution, this bookish gunman subsequently became a distinguished intellectual, and the author of two classic autobiographical accounts of the revolutionary period: On Another Man's Wound and The Singing Flame. His post-revolutionary life took on a bohemian flavour. Travelling extensively in Europe and America, he mixed with a wide range of artistic and literary figures, and devoted himself to a variety of writing projects. In his IRA career he mixed with revolutionaries such as Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera; in his post-IRA years his friends included Samuel Beckett, Louis MacNeice, John Wayne, and John Ford. This important new thematic biography draws on previously unseen archival sources, and introduces O'Malley to both scholarly and general readers. O'Malley's post-revolutionary life was as turbulent as his IRA years, and illuminates many persistent themes of Irish history, ranging from the origins and culture of militant republicanism and the complexities of Anglo-Irish relations to the development of intellectual and artistic life in twentieth-century Ireland. This exciting new biography will be essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the background to modern Irish politics and the past and present role of the IRA.

Shortlisted for the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize 1998; Marsh Biography Award 1998; James Donnelly Prize for a book in History or Social Sciences (ACIS) 1998;
Reviews
fine biography * Brendan O'Cathaior *


Awards
Winner of Shortlisted for the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize 1998; Marsh Biography Award 1998; James Donnelly Prize for a book in History or Social Sciences (ACIS) 1998;.



Book Information
ISBN 9780198205951
Author Richard English
Format Hardback
Page Count 284
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Dimensions(mm) 226mm * 146mm * 21mm