4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Making the Irish struggle for independence come alive, July 7, 2008
This review is from: Bloody Sunday: How Michael Collins's Agents Assassinated Britain's Secret Service in Dublin on November 21, 1920 (Paperback)
The Irish struggle for independence from Great Britain still stirs great passion and controversy. Michael Collins's successful strategy to achieve Irish independence from Great Britain has served as a model for similar insurrections for others across the world, particularly the Jewish struggle for independence in Palestine. James Gleeson's Bloody Sunday puts the struggle for Irish independence in a broad historic context and provides personal accounts that make the historical perspective come alive. By adding lesser-known anecdotes to the larger narrative, Gleeson captures the emotions and mentality of the time to explain the actions and motives of all the key forces: the I.R.A., the Royal Irish Constabulary, and the Black and Tan as well as insights into the motives and mentality of the key players. With this more personal perspective, Bloody Sunday nicely complements more academic histories, such as Michael Collins's Intelligence War by Michael Foy, that examine the same events.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The ''Cairo Gang'' Explained, November 12, 2007
This review is from: Bloody Sunday: How Michael Collins's Agents Assassinated Britain's Secret Service in Dublin on November 21, 1920 (Paperback)
Prior to being sent to Eireann, the "Cairo Gang" had been stationed for a while in Cairo, Egypt (This was at a time when the British thought they owned most of the planet). During the Great War (W.W.I), Egypt, and especially Cairo, was teeming with smugglers, assassins, revolutionaries, telemarketers and other "undesirables" who weren't very respectful to British interests. Egypt was critical to British control of the region and thus the situation called for experienced and capable agents.
The "Cairo Gang" as they became known was the cream of the British intelligence agencies. They had been handpicked for their skill and it was in Cairo that they established a reputation that rivaled the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for 'getting their man'.
It seems that Michael Collins and his flying columns were producing feelings of consternation in Dublin Castle (the seat of British power in Eireann) which the local agents had been unable to remedy. The local agents had also developed a tendency of being found dead thus more stringest measures were obviously needed. Enter the "Cairo Gang".
The Cairo Gang was suspicious of everyone in Eireann and kept to themselves but Collins had cultivated a spy network of incredible reach. Michael Collins was a master at what he did and it was only a matter of time before he got the lowdown on the Gang. On 21NOV1920 the Cairo Gang went bye-bye.
I intend to buy this book for the history of Eireann, circa 1916-1923, is simply incredible.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Twelve Apostles, June 29, 2007
This review is from: Bloody Sunday: How Michael Collins's Agents Assassinated Britain's Secret Service in Dublin on November 21, 1920 (Paperback)
Michael Collins' hit squad was nicknamed the "Twelve Apostles" and Mr. Gleeson unfolds the events that would lead to Bloody Sunday at Croake Park later that day.Unfortunately, Mr. Gleason does not delve into the formation and members of the "Cairo Gang" the English terrorists who were eliminated by the Twelve Apostles. Were they recruited from British intelligence in Cairo, Egypt? An unanswered question worth scholarlly research.
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