My Life in the IRA:

Former IRA Director of Operations Mick Ryan's memoir of growing up in Dublin's East Wall in the 1940s and 1950s and his subsequent involvement in the border campaign. My Life in the IRA is a story of suffering, hardship, frustration and constant disappointment that will leave readers wondering why anyone would become involved in such a patently hopeless cause and, even more so, why these volunteers persisted when defeat loomed from an early stage. Mick and his comrades regarded the objectives of 1916 not as pious aspirations but as a bequest from previous generations of revolutionaries that provided them with the opportunity to give meaning to their own lives. Mick had a 'deep sense of regret' that he had not been born early enough to participate in the Easter Rising and the subsequent struggle for independence. For him and his comrades to give up would have been a form of self-betrayal akin to the loss of a vocation among his more religiously inclined contemporaries.

Auteur

Mick Ryan grew up in Dublin's East Wall. From an early age he was entranced by stories of Ireland's fight for freedom and he joined the IRA as a teenager. On 12 December 1956 he participated in the launch of the border campaign and, with the exception of two brief periods in prison, was active throughout the campaign. Padraig Yeates is an editor, journalist, trade unionist and author. He has worked for many years for The Irish Times and is the author of the Dublin quartet: Lockout: Dublin 1913, A City in Wartime: Dublin 1914-18, A City in Turmoil: Dublin 1919-21 and A City in Civil War: Dublin 1921-24.

Résumé
Discover the Inspiring Story of a Revolutionary: Mick Ryan's memoir of growing up in Dublin's East Wall and his journey as former IRA Director of Operations. Explore his commitment to the cause, despite suffering, hardship, and disappointment in My Life in the IRA. Understand why these volunteers persisted against all odds, driven by a deep sense of obligation to the ideals of 1916. Immerse yourself in the journey of a man who saw his involvement as a calling, a way to give meaning to his life. Get a unique perspective on the Irish struggle for independence and be moved by this tale of bravery, conviction and regret.