The War of Independence

"One of the book's charms is the necessary focus on anecdotes and pen portraits of participants in the battles. These bring to life some of the conflicts, like the story of Lieutenant Bartholomew Teeling and Irish men serving in General Humbert's French forces in September 1798 who showed immense courage yet was executed by the British after the Battle of Ballinamuck. McMahon reaches a high point if the style in the brief chapter on Knockanross when he discusses the life and times of Murrough O'