For hundreds of years, Irish soldiers have sought their destiny abroad. Wherever they've traveled, whichever side of the battlefield they've stood, the tales of their exploits have never been forgotten.
Leaving his birthplace, the Irish soldier has traveled with hope, often seeking to bring a liberating revolution to his fellow countrymen. In search of adventure the Fighting Irish have been found in all corners of the world. Some sailed to America and joined in frontier fighting, others demonstrated their loyalty to their adopted homeland in the bloody combats of the American Civil War, as well as campaigns against the British Empire in Canada and South Africa. The Irish soldier can also be found in the thick of war during the twentieth century-facing slaughter at the Somme, desperate last-stands in the Congo-and, more recently, in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In The Fighting Irish, Tim Newark tells their tales in the dramatic words of the soldiers themselves, gathered from diaries, letters, journals, and interviews with veterans in Ireland and across the world.
"A testament to Irish soldiers throughout modern history."
Publishers Weekly
"From the Battle of the Boyne to the mountains of Afghanistan, Tim Newark tells the story of the Irish fighting man with wit, clarity and scholarship. No-one could do it better, reminding us that despite being a neutral country, Ireland has provided some of the world's toughest, bravest and most dedicated soldiers."
Andrew Roberts, author of The Storm of War
"Tim Newark's The Fighting Irish is to be welcomed, exploring as it does frequently overlooked--and often truly startling and dramatic--personal narratives… Newark has highlighted a giddying range of historical experience, to impressive effect."
