FAKE NEWS AND THE IRISH WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

As the War of Independence began to rage in Ireland in 1920, the British sent press officers to Dublin to promote their version of events.  Mainly veterans of producing propaganda during the ‘Great War’, these began to issue falsehoods and full-on Fake News over 1920-1921. As their untruths became known, fewer people began to believe the British reports

In this fascinating book Michael B. Barry tells the story of fakery and dissimulation that emanated from Dublin Castle, including the so-called ‘Battle of Tralee’ staged at Vico Road, Killiney, the forged editions of the ‘Irish Bulletin’ and attempts after  the Kilmichael ambush to paint the IRA as axe-wielding fiends.

Also covered are the later careers of the practitioners of false news, which ranged from helping General Francisco Franco to fly to Morocco to start the Spanish Civil War, to being ennobled and taking a seat in the British House of Lords.

Historian Michael B. Barry, from West Cork, studied in Trinity College and lives in Dublin. He has written many books including the best-selling Victorian Dublin Revealed. In recent years he has written a trilogy of books on the Irish Revolution period, and lately, the critically acclaimed An Illustrated History of the Irish Revolution 1916-1923.