Customer Reviews

Macbride's Brigade: Irish Commandos in the Anglo-Boer War

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As I stood recently at John MacBride's final resting place in Dublin's tiny, quiet Arbor Hill Cemetery, I reflected on this book about this Irish hero who led Irish and Irish-American volunteers against the British in the South African War. Tragically, he emerged from the Boer War safely, but was executed for his role in the 1916 Easter Uprising and his body dumped in a mass grave with several of his patriotic comrades. His sacrifices certainly helped lay the foundation for Ireland's freedom.

This book focuses mainly on MacBride's service in the Boer War, the politics and passions of the Irish involvement, and his relationship with the flamboyant Maud Gonne, who bore his two children. MacBride is not a perfect hero, which makes him (and this book)all the more engaging.

Dr. McCracken's book is well-wrought history, finely detailed and comprehensively researched. It is also a darn good story, well told. He's a devoted scholar and historian, and a fine writer. I would recommend this work highly to any student of Irish republicanism and/or the Boer War.