The Unknown Commandant
The Life and Times of Denis Barry 1883-1923
Published on 27. October 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
237 pages
978-1-84889-029-9 (ISBN)
Description
In size and tone, Denis Barry's funeral cortege in the midst of a bloody civil war was similar to those that marked the burials of Toms MacCurtain and Terence McSwiney and, in more peaceful times, of Christy Ring and Jack Lynch. But who was "the Unknown Commandant"? A martyr and a hero to his countrymen, Denis Barry is overlooked today. This book seeks to rescue this hugely respected Cork man from relative anonymity. Denis Barry toiled in the shadows of McSwiney and MacCurtain in the tumultuous period of the Irish War of Independence. A brave soldier, patriot and sportsman, he died on hunger strike at the Curragh Military Prison in 1923 for the cause in which he believed.
Reviews / Votes
'Outstanding [...] a rollicking biography full of incident and thrilling anecdote' Evening Echo 'A moving account' Irish IndependentMore details
Person
Denis Barry is a retired industrial manager who always had a keen interest in politics, history and sport. A nephew of the book's subject he is passionate about the largely forgotten history of many of our patriots. This project began innocently enough in a graveyard and turned into a labour of love.