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THE RISE AND
FALL OF AN
IRISH REPUBLICAN
ARMY
COMMANDER
UP
LIKE A
BIRD
Brendan Hughes’ gritty memoir charts his rise through the ranks of the IRA in the early 1970s. Hughes reveals how a secret unit planned and executed the celebrated helicopter escape from Dublin’s Mountjoy Jail and carried out a series of audacious bank raids to fund the organisation’s armed resistance to British rule. For the first time, he also tells the inside story of how the IRA planned its mass breakout from the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison.
B McC
★★★★★
October 23, 2021 Read More
A most absorbing, satisfying read. Wasn’t sure what it would be like reading 300 pages of bloody reminiscence when I picked it up but the tone is perfectly pitched.
Sandra Huckerby
★★★★★
October 20, 2021 Read More
An outstanding book, loved every minute of reading it and would welcome more like it.
Miceal O’Cleirigh
★★★★★
October 19, 2021 Read More
Haven’t manage to finish a book in six years and read this one in 2 days! Great book….
Angela Kelly
★★★★★
October 10, 2021 Read More
Captivating read, hooked from the first page. Great to read stories of East Tyrone.
Paddy
★★★★★
October 4, 2021 Read More
Very good
Feargal McCrory
★★★★★
October 3, 2021 Read More
Brilliant read from start to finish. Can’t recommend highly enough. Well done to all involved.
Donal, Dublin.
★★★★★
October 3, 2021 Read More
Excellent book and superb telling of a story I knew very little about except for a quick mention on reeling in the years. Very interesting to see the meticulous planning that went into the operations and the roll fate can play. Highly recommended.
Justin Neeson
★★★★★
October 1, 2021 Read More
The book is totally captivating, I found myself unable to put the book down. Thank you Brendan for sharing your story with us all. Your bravery and courage in the face of such overwhelming odds were and still are to this day inspirational
Sandra Huckerby
★★★★★
September 30, 2021 Read More
I was engrossed in this book. It gives a fascinating insight into Brendan Hughes time in the IRA. A great read which explains the sacrifices that Brendan made in order to live the life of a volunteer.
Ann Sweeney
★★★★★
September 30, 2021 Read More
Excellent read, great insight into our past history, very enjoyable
Kevin Murray
★★★★★
September 30, 2021 Read More
Absolutely brilliant couldn’t stop reading it very truthful which makes it real only wish it was another 200 pages, Brendan hold your head up
Sylvia
★★★★★
September 30, 2021 Read More
Great read spent the day reading couldn’t put it down I got a surprise reading one thing but after checking with friends it was 100% correct highly recommend
Joe Ruane
★★★★★
September 30, 2021 Read More
Definitely a page turner
Éanna
★★★★★
September 30, 2021 Read More
An excellent read with some fascinating insight into times past. A good read I struggled to leave down.
Patrick Haran
★★★★★
September 29, 2021 Read More
This book falls into the ‘can’t put down category’. The book is a fast paced thriller which is rare to find in a non-fiction historically accurate piece of work. It reminds me of an Irish republican version of Goodfellas minus the self-enrichment. More please!
Matt McGeown
★★★★★
September 27, 2021 Read More
Great read!
Gerry Coyle
★★★★★
September 18, 2021 Read More
defs worth a read. i couldn’t put it down. thank you brendan & douglas
Kevin McGarry
★★★★★
September 17, 2021 Read More
Just finished your book 3.45am. A fabulous read and enlightened. Look into what the reality of life was and how we have evolved since then. I am reminded of the Kerry man’s saying that ‘the secret of life is to be content’.
Jay
★★★★★
September 6, 2021 Read More
Insightful inside to never told side of events in Irish history..Exceptional read and something you won’t won’t put down.
Mary Doherty
★★★★★
September 3, 2021 Read More
Excellent!
Sean Creagh
★★★★★
September 2, 2021 Read More
Great story , and even better man.
★★★★★
January, 2023 Read More
A real ripping yarn , very well written of a story, warts and all , that needs to be told. Although the historic facts are well known it was fascinating to read the details and see the personalities involved in two iconic republican events. And ultimately to see how divergent their paths became in subsequent decades. From putting. his life and liberty on the line to free his comrade to old age isolation. Rise and Fall, is a long hard road, paved as he says by many of his own mistakes and bad decisions but lonely none the less. Worth adding to any collection.
★★★★★
January 2023 Read More
Brilliant first hand account of someone who was in the thick of it all. About to order another copy to give to my dad.
★★★★★
January 2023 Read More
Excellent read! This engrossing tale is so well written that it is hard to put down! The narrative really comes to life and the addition of original photographs make this beautifully published book a triumph. Well done Douglas Dalby, looking forward to more!
★★★★★
December 2022 Read More
Definitely a good read. The reason I bought the book was because I was working on the roof of the Mater Hospital at that time and could see the helicopter dropping into Mountjoy prison and rising again with a guy standing on a bar holding onto the the door or something and as one of the prisoners said in the book he thought they were SAS we on the roof thought they were after the Littlejohn brothers who claimed to be British agents at that time.
★★★★★
December 2022 Read More
Some read, absolutely fantastic!