Robert BrennanCritiques

This is a classic account of the revolutionary period and, thankfully, a well written one. Brennan gives a rigorous account of his experiences in Wexford with the Irish Volunteers before the Rising and a thorough account of the events that occurred when the Rising occurred in Wexford and in Dublin. Brennan was an important figure in Sinn Féin as Director of Elections for the 1918 Elections and in Sinn Féin in their Publicity Department during the War of Independence and this book is his personal memoir of these times. He would oppose the Treaty and assist the Anti-Treaty forces in the Civil War though the book does not really analyse the whole Civil War period.

This is an excellent book, restored for a modern audience thanks to UCD. While the second half of the books will seem like hagiography or at the least some extremely favourable bias for opponents of de Valera and Fianna Fáil it is nonetheless heartfelt and indicative of many party supporters at the time. The first part of the memoir is in my view the most interesting and details how dirty tricks were attempted by the Allies to force Ireland to abandon neutrality including by force. The memoir makes one think how grateful we must be that we had someone like Brennan in the US at the time.

NF