Rory O'Connor
To Defend The RepublicShortlisted for the 2026 Michel Déon prize for non-fiction - see here.
The first biography of the IRA leader Rory O’Connor, close comrade of Joseph Plunkett, Michael Collins and Kevin O’Higgins and key revolutionary figure during the Irish War of Independence who was controversially executed during the Irish Civil War.
Read More
Liam Lynch
To Declare A RepublicGeneral Liam Lynch was a key figure in the Irish Revolution, and remains one of the most celebrated of his era. In this long-awaited new biography, historian Gerard Shannon delves into a wide array of archival material to create a detailed, nuanced portrait of a hugely significant and influential figure in Irish history.
Read More
Gerard Shannon is a resident of the town of Skerries in north county Dublin, with a lifelong interest in modern Irish history.
His history research interests focus on early 20th century Ireland, more specifically, the personalities involved in the Irish revolutionary movement of the decade encompassing 1912 to 23.
Read More
August 18, 2026
Criticial acclaim for Rory O’Connor: To Defend the Republic
- /
- /
An extraordinary array of positive reviews for Rory O’Connor: To Defend the Republic have come in in these last few months. Here’s a selection from an eclectic range of publications:…
Read More
July 23, 2026
Download ‘William Rooney: Fear na Muintire – Journalist, Poet, Gaelic revivalist’ by David Connolly
- /
- /
Outside my publications and research, easily the proudest event I was ever involved in as a historian was the unveilling of a plaque at the former home of William Rooney…
Read More
July 3, 2026
Shortlisted for Michel Déon Prize for non-fiction
- /
- /
I am immensely moved and shocked that my latest book, Rory O’Connor: To Defend the Republic, has been nominated by the Royal Irish Academy as one of the six titles…
Read More