Michael Mallin: 16Lives - Tapa blanda

Críticas

interesting series

'insightful ... hopefully, other biographies in the O’Brien Press 1916 series meet the high standard set by Brian Hughes'

'his last letter to his wife is moving in its intimacy ... the book is worth buying for the letter alone'

'a great read and a credit to the author'

'a remarkable series ... gives readers a valuable insight into the men who were executed for their part in the 1916 Rising'

'an entertaining, accurate and well-researched portrayal both of the man and the uprising'

'Two new series from Irish publishers are targeted more particularly at the 1916 Rising. The O’Brien Press offers the more structured series, 16 Lives, complete with attractive marketing materials and a high profile launch in the GPO in Dublin'

'an epic new series of books ... O’Brien Press is first off the 1916 centenary mark with 16 Lives ... it is early days but 16 Lives has set the bar for the run into 2016'

'This book does a fine job in unearthing the details of Mallin’s activity as a trade unionist'

'part of a series which bids fair to lift the lid on a few others executed in 1916 and little known since'

Reseña del editor

Michael Mallin (December 1874 – 1916) was an Irish rebel and socialist who took an active role in the 1916 Easter Rising.

Born in Dublin, Mallin was second in command of the Irish Citizen Army under James Connolly and commanded the garrison at St. Stephen's Green in Dublin, with Constance Markievicz as his second in command. Mallin had enlisted in the British army as a boy soldier/drummer boy in his early years and served for many years in India. His experiences there radicalised him and manifested itself in his becoming a leading official in the silk weavers union upon his return to Ireland and his acceptance of the post of second in command and chief training officer of the Irish Citizen Army. The ICA was formed after the 1913 general strike in Dublin to protect workers from the RIC and also from employer funded strike breaking gangs.

Mallin surrendered on Sunday, 30 April 1916 when ordered to do so by Connolly. At his court-martial he attempted to downplay his involvement: this was understandable as he was a young father of four children and his wife was pregnant with a fifth. In his own statement, Mallin projected himself as a mere tradesman and band leader who had almost by chance become involved in the Irish Citizen Army and the Rising. He sought to exculpate himself from blame by suggesting that he was a mere dupe, obeying orders and ignorant of Connolly's plans for insurrection. He stated: "I am no commission whatever in the Citizen Army. I was never taken into the confidence of James Connolly. I was under the impression that we were going out for manoeuvres on Sunday." Once aware that there was to be a rising he claimed that he covertly tried to subvert it. He also claimed that Countess Markievicz was in command, and not second in command to him, and that she had commanded him to take charge of the men on the Monday. However he was convicted and executed by firing squad on 8 May. In his last letter to his wife, Mallin stated that "I find no fault with the soldiers or the police" and admonished her "to pray for all the souls who fell in this fight, Irish and English." He commented "so must Irishmen pay for trying to make Ireland a free nation."