Liam Lynch: The story of a ‘gifted guerilla commander’

Regarded as 'a great soldier of Ireland' even by his opponents in the Civil War, General Liam Lynch's death on April 10, 1923, is being commemorated with a new biography, art exhibition and parades with bands from Argentina and the US

The Liam Lynch memorial in Anglesborough, Co. Limerick. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

An abundance of recently released archives has resulted in probably the most extensive book on freedom-fighter General Liam Lynch ever written and coincides with the forthcoming events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his death.

It details how his godmother gave him ‘revolutionary books’; that the sight of captive IRA Volunteer Thomas Kent being led by British troops over the bridge in Fermoy to be executed kick-started his involvement in the War of Independence, and how “his heart was definitely not in the fight” against his former comrades in the Free State Army during the Civil War.