Jim O’Brien: A rousing tale of revolution, retribution, resilience and the healing power of music
How a remarkable woman went on the run from the Crown forces during the War of Independence, having seen her boyfriend killed, and dealt with her trauma by playing trad fiddle
Raids and searches by the Black and Tans in Thurles, 1921. From the A E Bell Collection. Photo via Getty
Most of our lives are lived at a steady and predictable pace that rarely changes. The highest peaks of excitement and drama to pepper our days are more likely to be generated by sports, cliffhanger films or page-turner books.
The vast majority of us are spared the awfulness of living on the edge of existence, where death and destruction pulverise the people and places that made up the ordinariness of our lives. Our sisters and brothers in places like Gaza and Ukraine are only too familiar with this daily hell.
