A rip-roaring yarn
By Aengus O Snodaigh
1916
By Morgan Llywelyn
Published by Forge Books
Price £16.99 (Hb)
A masterpiece is how best I can describe this latest novel from the
pen of Morgan Llywelyn. Adding to her successful Lion of Ireland and
Pride of Lion she tackles the events of the Easter Rising in that
style of writing which is gaining more popularity in writings on
Ireland - historical fiction (fact and fiction intertwined).
Similar to many of the other major events in Irish history, the story
of 1916 has all the elements required for a blockbuster -
scriptwriters/film directors take note: heroism, intrigue, betrayal,
battles, love/romance, coincidence, and the evil imperialist.
Many other authors have tackled similar themes to a greater or lesser
degree, Peter de Rosa's Rebels, Peter Beresford Ellis's Rising of the
Moon, Walter Macken's trilogy, Thomas Keneally's latest, The Great
Shame, Thomas Flanagan's The Year of the French and many many more.
Some of the best are in Irish: L'Attaque, Dé Luan by Eoghan O
Tuaraisc, Luaithre an Bhua by Anraoi O Liatháin.
With the success of Michael Collins, Some Mother's Son, In the Name
of the Father the cinema public would seem to be ready for more.
Historical novels are an enjoyable way to learn the basics of
historical events and to become acquainted with the main characters
involved in those events.
It is a difficult undertaking to get the facts right yet have a
rip-roaring yarn. I think Morgan Llywelyn has succeeded in this and
the book would stand scrutiny by critics and historians alike. A
marvellous achievement.
From start to finish the book held me spellbound as Morgan, through
the character of Ned Halloran, unfolds the preparations and the
aftermath of the rising itself.
Armed with the philosophy ``you've survived the Titanic. Nothing else
can harm you now'', Ned Halloran sets out on life's big adventure. A
smack of a sabre on Bloody Sunday 1913 teaches him that he is a mere
mortal. Through his schooling in St Enda's, his membership of the
Volunteers, his friendship with a journalist and his lovelife, Ned
matures and with him the story of the headlong dash into rebellion.
The characters which we all associate with the rising all come alive
in the 448 pages, among them the Pearse family, Con Colbert, Tom
Clarke, Ned Daly, Countess Markievicz, James Connolly and The
O'Rahilly. Morgan in the opening pages of the book lists the
fictional and historical characters so as to avoid confusion among
the uninitiated.
The ending allows for a follow-up, making the Tan War and Civil War
come alive again. As they say, watch this space.
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)