Meda Ryan - Tom Barry: IRA Freedom Fighter

Praise for
Tom Barry: IRA Freedom Fighter

Meda Ryans fascinating biography Tom Barry: IRA Freedom Fighter, demonstrates her considerable and detailed knowledge concerning the famous Cork republican She refers to Barrys greatness and his genius as a commander, and in chronicling his intriguing life she produces many valuable details for the reader. She also takes issue on numerous occasions with Prof Peter Hart Richard English, Irish Times Even the most hardened revisionist historian will find Ryans book a source of interesting and valuable material. Ryan had access to Tom Barrys papers, and conducted extensive interviews with him and others from the early 1970s onwards. This work is important because it is the first substantial nationalist/republican account of that period which tries to directly challenge this new revolutionary history. Liam Ruairc, History Ireland Meda Ryan crosses swords convincingly with Peter Hart on the authenticity of the false surrender at Kilmichael, which precipitated a fight to the finish with the Auxiliaries If the War of Independence showed Tom Barry at his most effective, the biography is also interesting on his subsequent career Meda Ryan has done an excellent job, and no doubt stirred further debate. Martin Mansergh, Irish Independent This book on General Tom Barry and his contribution to the struggle for Irish freedom is one that I would recommend for every household and educational institution in this country Meda Ryan has given us a true and authentic account of historical events, and a leader of extraordinary talent, that will be of benefit not only to people of this generation but to future ones as well. Sen Ceilleachir, Southern Star The authors collection of testimony from old IRA veterans, richly varied archival sources, and interest in being as accurate as possible in her retelling of the many colourful incidents which dominated his life combine to give the reader a comprehensive picture of Tom Barry. Frank Bouchier-Hayes, The Limerick Leader At last a biography fit for a national hero Meda Ryan has produced an excellent and well-documented biography of Barry ... [her] biography is an absolute must for anyone who is interested in the War of Independence as well as in Barrys role in it. Peter Beresford Ellis, Irish Democrat If theres one man who epitomises that zealous virtue of fighting the good fight in Ireland during the last century, it has to be Tom Barry his prowess as a guerrilla leader made him the subject of song and story for subsequent generations This biography of Barry is certainly a significant work, both in terms of its scholarly use of voluminous source material and its unique interpretation of such a colourful and contentious figure in Irish history. Michael Hall, Irish Post The book is thoroughly researched Incident after incident is related with unstinting conviction as the author takes on the mindset of her hero in recounting the many daredevil exploits of the West Cork flying column. Barrys involvement on the fringes of the Treaty negotiation is dealt with as is the engagement with the ceasefire/dump arms deal of 1923 and his term as IRA chief of staff. Colette Olney, Bandon Opinion

T OM B ARRY

IRA F REEDOM F IGHTER

M EDA R YAN

In war, it is not the men who count, it is the man

N APOLEON

MERCIER PRESS

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Blackrock, Cork, Ireland.

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Meda Ryan, 2003

ISBN: 978 1 85635 480 6

Epub ISBN: 978 1 85635 732 6

Mobi ISBN: 978 1 85635 769 2

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To the men and women of West Cork

who fought in their way, in their time,

to give us the Ireland we have today

Acknowledgments

I owe a debt of gratitude to David Willis who gave me Tom Barrys Papers, without which this book would be incomplete. I am also indebted to John Browne, Jean Crowley, Lieut Colonel Eamonn Moriarty and Dave OSullivan who gave me their unique personal recordings and videos of Tom Barry.

I am extremely grateful to Professor Gearid Tuathaigh of the National University of Ireland, Galway, for reading the manuscript, for his helpful suggestions and for his advice and his encouragement.

As I look through my notebook of names and addresses, I notice with sadness that many of those who willingly gave information are no longer with us. But without their generosity of spirit I could not have completed this worthwhile study. A sincere word of gratitude is due to those who went out of their way to help me in my research, people like Brendan ONeill and the late Dan Joe OMahony who drove me around and organised appointments; Dmhnall Mac Giolla Phoil helped to locate people, and with his wife Mary, was a constant source of encouragement, he also read the manuscript and offered helpful suggestions. Eily Hales McCarthy and her husband Gus were always at the other end of a telephone to listen to my problems.

Jack Lane and Michael MacEvilly have been a constant source of assistance and with Samus Lantry, Eileen Murphy and Manus ORiordan, kept me posted on source material and publications, so that my mailbox was never dull. Brian Murphy in his unique way provided me with the necessary stimulus to continue.

Criostir de Barid was always willing to offer help and advice as was Pdraig Cuanachin and Bernie Whyte. Dr T. Ryle Dwyer, Professor Eunan OHalpin and Rena Dardis, Anvil Press, kindly supplied me with private documents, and Dr Brian Hanley gave me some source references. Sheila Barry Irlam and Gerald Barry were most helpful in putting family events into context. Sen Kelleher, Louis Whyte, Con OCallaghan and Johnny Hayes of the Kilmichael Commemoration Committee willingly responded to my probing queries.

As well as thanking Dan Collins, Kate OCallaghan, Donncha Dulaing, and Nollaig Gadhra of RT for the use of documentary material, I am also grateful to Majella Breen and Ian Lee in RT Sound Archives who were courteous and generous with their time as was Barbara Durack and Pat Butler of the RT TV Programme Archive Department.

The directors and staff at all the libraries were most helpful. I sincerely wish to thank Kieran Wyse, Cork County Library who responded to my every query and was more than generous with his time, he, like Tim Cadogan and the late Pdraig Maidn of the Cork County Library speedily replied to my requests. Della Murphy, National Library of Ireland was extremely helpful during my research and also Dr Noel Kissane and his diligent staff in the National Library Manuscript Department. Seamus Helferty and Kerry Holland, of UCD Archives Department and the efficient staff there, deserve special mention, as does the late Comdt Peter Young, and Capt. Victor Laing, Comdt Pat Brennan and the staff at the Military Archives, Dublin. Thanks also to the staff in the National Archives and Trinity College Archives staff. The kindness and assistance given by Patricia McCarthy, by Brian McGee and staff at the Cork Archives Institute and by Stella Cherry and staff at the Cork Public Museum and by Mick OConnell, Clonakilty Museum is very much appreciated.

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