No Middle Path: The Civil War in Kerry
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No Middle Path: The Civil War in Kerry
The violence and divisions caused by the Irish Civil War of 1922–23 were more vicious, bitter and protracted in County Kerry than anywhere else in Ireland. For generations, the fratricide, murder and executions that occurred there have been synonymous with the worst excesses of the brutality which followed the split over the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.
In this compelling new history of the conflict in his native county, Owen O’Shea offers fresh insights into atrocities such as the landmine executions at Ballyseedy and Knocknagoshel, and their cover-ups, and also the misery and mayhem of the conflict for the wider population. The immense trauma and hardship faced by combatants and their families, as well as the legacy of ill health and psychological scars left on survivors are explored for the first time. Also presented is a catalogue of the intimidation, destruction and lawlessness which severely affected civilians who had no involvement in the war but suffered greatly, sometimes losing their lives.
No Middle Path offers an engrossing account of the terrible events in Kerry, and their shocking and enduring legacy.
About the Author
Owen O’Shea, from Milltown, Co. Kerry, is a historian and author of several books on history and politics in his native county. A former press officer with the Labour Party, and a former print and broadcast journalist, O’Shea currently works as Media, Communications and Customer Relations Officer with Kerry County Council. He is an Irish Research Council-funded PhD student at University College Dublin, researching electioneering and politics in Kerry in the decade after the Civil War.
