Days of Fear
The Diary of a 1920s Hunger Striker
Published in April 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-1-85635-586-5 (ISBN)
Description
During the War of Independence Frank Gallagher was interned in Mountjoy where he took part in a mass hunger-strike of republican prisoners demanding political status. Gallagher's remarkable diary reveals his internal conflict during the hunger strike in April 1920. He describes a 'double personality', one half bent on self-preservation and the other on sacrifice. On the tenth day, he almost surrendered, but what kept him resolute was shame before his fellow hunger strikers. 'If there were an honorable way of escape, I should be glad...I'm afraid to die, and I'm going to die because I'm afraid not to...The papers will call me a hero and a martyr...a miserable, frightened fool, who hadn't the courage not to die.'
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cork
Ireland
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-85635-586-5 (9781856355865)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Frank Gallagher was born and educated in Cork. He became a journalist and short story writer, frequently writing under the pseudonyms David Hogan and Henry O'Neill. He joined Sinn Fein in 1917 and after the Sinn Fein victory in the 1918 General Election, he worked with Erskine Childers on the publicity staff of the first Dail. Gallagher later became editor of The Irish Press and during 'the Emergency' headed the Free State Government's Information Bureau and was appointed Deputy Director of Radio Eireann. He died in 1962.