Description

A Splendid Resistance – The Life of IRA Chief of Staff, Dr. Andy Cooney presents the first comprehensive biography of Andrew “Andy” Cooney (1897–1968), a prominent figure in the Irish revolutionary movement whose career spanned the Irish War of Independence, the Civil War, and the years that followed. Drawing on extensive archival research, personal papers, and historical records, Michael MacEvilly reconstructs the life of a man whose contribution to Irish republicanism has often been overlooked.

The book follows Cooney from his early years in County Tipperary and his medical studies at University College Dublin through his rapid rise within the IRA. It explores his participation in key events of the War of Independence, his opposition to the Anglo-Irish Treaty, his imprisonment during the Civil War, and his appointment as Chief of Staff of the IRA in 1925 while still a medical student. MacEvilly also examines Cooney’s later years in the United States, where he remained committed to the republican cause while pursuing his medical career.

Combining detailed historical research with engaging narrative, A Splendid Resistance offers valuable insight into Ireland’s revolutionary generation and the complexities of one of its most dedicated leaders. It is essential reading for anyone interested in Irish history, political biography, and the revolutionary period.