- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Poolbeg Press (21 April 1994)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 189814205X
- ISBN-13: 978-1898142058
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 13.7 x 3.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
102,621 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #71 in Books > History > Political History > Revolutions & Coups
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There are loads of books published on loyalist(protestant) paramilitary organisations and the main republican(catholic) paramilitary organisation,the provisional irish republican army (PIRA). This book is about the smaller republican group ,the irish national liberation army(INLA). Formed in 1974,it achieved notoriety in 1979 by assassinating british opposition politician,and friend of Margaret Thatcher, Airey Neave. Packed with information,includes the bloody internal feud in 1986/1987, political strategy,information on leading personalities Gerard 'Dr. Death' Steenson,Thomas 'Ta' Power,Dominic 'mad dog' McGlinchey,it's all here. If you want to know about the troubles in ulster more fully,you need this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Written by a journalist with historical connections to the Workers Party/Official IRA, from whom the INLA had broken away in a bloody internecine feud, and a second journalist since revealed as a close confidante of a high ranking RUC Special Branch Officer, it was always to be suspected that this book would lack both the sources and objectivity to produce a reliable, bias free, history: so it proves. Essentially, the book is an ill-judged and misinformed diatribe which serves chiefly to announce the prejudices of its authors rather than provide any genuine insight into the history of the INLA.
A special venom is reserved for Gerard Steenson, a prominent Belfast gunman known to have killed the OIRA's Belfast commander as well as several police officers. Perhaps, in light of the author's backgrounds, this prejudice is intelligible but it scarcely makes for an honest assessment either of Steenson in particular or the INLA in general. All books are written with an agenda but seldom was that agenda so close to the surface. Various fringe figures from the Republican Socialist Movement are inflated because of their willingness to engage with the authors whilst others are downgraded to bit part players or pilloried for their imagined lack of political judgement/strategy. The persons depicted are not flesh and blood people with convictions and motivations every bit as sincere and considered as their rivals in the OIRA or British government but bogeymen, caricatures and one note psychopaths. It may be that an honest history of that very flawed organisation will yet be written, but if so, it will not be by authors with such obvious vested interests. Akin to having Stalin write a biography on Trotsky. Best avoided.
A special venom is reserved for Gerard Steenson, a prominent Belfast gunman known to have killed the OIRA's Belfast commander as well as several police officers. Perhaps, in light of the author's backgrounds, this prejudice is intelligible but it scarcely makes for an honest assessment either of Steenson in particular or the INLA in general. All books are written with an agenda but seldom was that agenda so close to the surface. Various fringe figures from the Republican Socialist Movement are inflated because of their willingness to engage with the authors whilst others are downgraded to bit part players or pilloried for their imagined lack of political judgement/strategy. The persons depicted are not flesh and blood people with convictions and motivations every bit as sincere and considered as their rivals in the OIRA or British government but bogeymen, caricatures and one note psychopaths. It may be that an honest history of that very flawed organisation will yet be written, but if so, it will not be by authors with such obvious vested interests. Akin to having Stalin write a biography on Trotsky. Best avoided.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Holland and McDonald provide a compelling, articulate, history and analysis of the INLA and of it's later splinter arm, the IPLO. The authors track the development of the INLA through the leaderships of Costello, O'Reilly, McGlinchy, Brown et al. The constant crises in leadership, factionalism, stunted development of the IRSP, poor analysis of the unionist community and lack of finance are picked out, highlighted and laid bare as fatally undermining the movements inability to build the necessary political power-base. The INLA's ultimate slow-burn degeneration into a squalid racketeering, sectarian gang following the execution by the British of Ronnie Bunting appears stark and grim. It was interesting as someone who knew little about the INLA to read that a number of prominent members (such as Belfast OC Ronnie Bunting and Noel Lyttle) were protestant. This perhaps hints at the movements initial potential to have crossed some religious barriers.
This has been a book I had been looking to acquire for a few years. Often after a long wait the book proves not live up to high expectations. Not, I repeat not, in this instance. This is seminal reading for anyone with a serious intrest in the Irish troubles. No hesitation in giving this book five stars.
This has been a book I had been looking to acquire for a few years. Often after a long wait the book proves not live up to high expectations. Not, I repeat not, in this instance. This is seminal reading for anyone with a serious intrest in the Irish troubles. No hesitation in giving this book five stars.
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