The O’Brien Press

The Long War tells the story of the IRA and Sinn Fein from their beginnings right up to the Good Friday Agreement in Easter 1998 and beyond. It tracks the IRA's military strategy, their bombing and killing campaign, coupled with massive arms supplies from Libya and the long, torturous, at times secret, journey led by Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness through two ceasefires to a negotiated compromise. The Long War contains major source material and details the roles of key peacemakers in Ireland, Britain and America and also of the dissident militarists who intend continuing the war against Britain.

Brendan O’Brien reported on Northern Ireland as RTÉ’s senior current affairs reporter beginning in 1974, and he made three major documentaries about the IRA. He won many awards for investigative journalism, including European Journalist of the Year 1998 and the Amnesty International Award 2001. Since retiring from RTÉ he has lectured extensively on the Northern Irish conflict and peace process.

He is the author of The Story of Ireland, a children’s book illustrated by Cartoon Saloon; The Long War: The IRA and Sinn Féin; and the revised and updated edition of A Short History of Ireland (by the late Breandán
Ó hEithir). He lives in Wicklow with his family.

A brilliant analysis

Irish Independent