Description

The Men Will Talk to Me: Mayo Interviews by Ernie O’Malley presents a unique and compelling record of Ireland’s revolutionary period through the voices of those who lived it. During the 1940s and 1950s, renowned republican leader and author Ernie O’Malley travelled throughout Ireland interviewing veterans of the struggle for independence, capturing their memories before they were lost to history.

Many of the men O’Malley interviewed had never shared their stories publicly and, in some cases, had not even spoken about their experiences with their own families. Because of the respect he commanded among former IRA volunteers, they entrusted him with detailed accounts of their involvement in the War of Independence and the Civil War.

This volume focuses on County Mayo and neighbouring parts of Roscommon and Sligo, documenting key events, military actions, and personal experiences from one of the most significant periods in Irish history. The interviews provide vivid descriptions of famous engagements such as Kilmeena, Tourmakeady, and Carrowkennedy, while also revealing the everyday realities, sacrifices, and motivations of those involved in the struggle.

Carefully edited by Cormac O’Malley and Vincent Keane, the book is an essential collection of primary historical sources that brings readers closer to the people behind the events. Rich in detail and authenticity, it offers historians, researchers, genealogists, and anyone interested in Irish history a rare opportunity to hear the voices of Mayo’s revolutionary generation.