Description

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As the aftermath of the Easter Rising descends into disaster, 17-year-old James becomes swept up in the intensity of Irish Nationalism. His carefree youth evaporates as he finds himself quietly drawn into the Cork No.1 Brigade, C Company, eventually responsible for taking on the Black and Tans in the centre of Cork City. As the only full-time member of the six -person Intelligence Squad and the 12-person Active Service Unit of Cork No. 1, James becomes deeply involved in the fight for Irish freedom. Working under the fierce leadership of Rebel Cork sets his life on a trajectory that he could never have imagined, and like many of his friends, did not expect to survive.

The anecdotes he shared with his granddaughter in his old age, hair-raising anecdotes of his life and activities, as well as the lives and activities of some of his closest friends and compatriots during the War of Independence and the Civil War, have been carefully researched and are the foundation of this story.

About the Author

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Although born a proud Canadian and living in the rolling hills of Mono, Ontario, Thompson is apparently composed exclusively of 100% Irish DNA. That probably explains her interest in wild Irish stories. The road to completing her own wild Irish story began as a teenager when she inadvertently sunk her finger in an old bullet wound behind her grandfather’s ear, a wound few people knew existed, and learned that he had once been a bona fide Irish rebel through and through. When she is not struggling to put pen to paper you might find her railing against the current vagaries and mishaps of educational policies and procedures across North America, putting to questionable use her PhD in Philosophy of Education. When everyone quietly leaves the room, she will eventually try to console herself by practicing her cello, at which time her family will not so quietly shut doors around the house, or don earphones.

Praise For…

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“While Dragging Our Hearts Behind Us is a great story of hidden Irish history, just crying out to be told. Or, rather, a host of stories, some wildly incredible, some harrowing, some darkly funny - and all (mostly) true.
There are at least three great historical thrillers that might be drawn from Boni Thompson’s reconstruction of mysterious exploits, treasonous events, and the creation of an Irish state. There is a dash of fiction, a dash of myth-making, and a solid, satisfying deal of good old Irish story-telling.
A remarkable piece of historical research and recreation, it is the book that Cork and environs deserves in recognition of that area’s role in the struggle for independence. How the past becomes personal, and one man’s history and stories can become emblematic of the creation of the new nation.
A hugely satisfying, informative, and gripping read.”
— John McRae