Cathal Liam

Cathal Liam is keenly interested in early 20th-century Irish history, particularly Ireland's revolutionary years 1914-1924. His first successful book, CONSUMED IN FREEDOM'S FLAME, chronicled the events surrounding Ireland's 1916 Easter revolt and its ensuing War for Independence, 1919-1921. First published in hardcover (2001), it's been reprinted six times in trade paperback and is becoming a "classic." It won ForeWord magazine's 2001 bronze medal for historical fiction. His next effort, FOREVER GREEN, received a 2003 honourable mention for travel essay, also by ForeWord magazine. A collection of imaginative stories, political commentary and original poems, it protrayed a changing Ireland in the 20th-century. In 2006, BLOOD ON THE SHAMROCK was published as a follow-up to CONSUMED IN FREEDOM'S FLAME. It chronicled the events sparking Ireland's tragic ten-month-long, internecine conflict. Now in its second printing, the storyline followed a handful of imaginary characters as they interact with the real historical figures and the actual events of the day. The book received an honourable mention award in the general fiction category by Midwest Independent Publishers Association. His newest book (2011) is an exciting true-life novel entitled FEAR NOT THE STORM: The Story of Tom Cullen, An Irish Revolutionary. It recounts the events surrounding the rise of an obscure young Irish Volunteer during Dublin's 1916 Easter revolt. Later, Cullen became an undercover intelligence agent working for Michael Collins, Ireland's great military/political leader. Eventually, Tom rose to the rank of major-general in the nascent Irish Free State army. Indeed, it was because of the determined accomplishments of this little-known, heroic Irish revolutionary that forms the centre-piece of Cathal's new book.