Rough Beast: My Story and the Reality of Sinn Fein

Rough Beast is Máiría Cahill's harrowing story of her life and of what she went through at the hands of Irelands largest and richest party. It is a story of unimaginable trauma and political corruption, bringing to life a world of paramilitary secrecy and parallel laws. Máiría Cahill grew up steeped in the traditions of Irish republicanism and the shadowy world of the IRA, but at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a prominent Belfast IRA man. When she confided in some friends, one of them told the IRA without Máiría's knowledge, and a year later the organisation came calling and forced her to take part in an inept and grotesquely insensitive internal investigation. Her assailant was allowed to confront and denounce her, and eventually her rapist was permitted to vanish from Belfast while Sinn Féin and the IRA professed bafflement about his whereabouts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 464 pages
Publication date: 12 September 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER IN THE IRISH NON-FICTION CHARTS Rough Beast is shocking, important, and unputdownable. Roddy Doyle Rough Beast is Máiría Cahill's harrowing story of her life and of what she went through at the hands of what is now Ireland's largest and richest party. That story is told here for the first time in full detail and with unsparing honesty. It is a story of unimaginable trauma and political corruption. It brings to life a world of paramilitary secrecy and parallel laws, but above all, it is the story of one young woman's defiance of the power wielded by ex-gunmen, inspiring fear and silence, and their influence over elected politicians. Máiría Cahill grew up steeped in the traditions of Irish republicanism and the shadowy world of the IRA: her great-uncle Joe was one of the main founders of the Provisional IRA, and her grandfather was Gerry Adams's mentor in the republican movement. From an early age, she seemed destined for a glittering career within the increasingly successful political machine of Sinn Féin, which was then enjoying the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement. She worked in a radio station alongside leading republicans; the Sinn Féin offices were her second home. She knew Gerry Adams and other senior republicans as family friends. But at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a prominent Belfast IRA man. When she confided in some friends she trusted about the abuse, one of them told the IRA without Máiría's knowledge. A year later, the organisation came calling, and forced her to take part in an inept and grotesquely insensitive internal investigation. She was subjected to round after round of interrogations by senior IRA men and women, usually in a network of safe houses around Belfast. Doubt was cast on her account of what happened, and she was told to keep quiet. But Máiría refused to be silenced. She began to speak out about the abuse, and her story began to gain traction. She wrote a book about her experiences, which was published in 2014. The book was a bestseller, and it brought her to the attention of the wider public. In the book, she detailed the abuse she suffered at the hands of the IRA, and she called for action to be taken to address the issue. She also spoke out about the political corruption that was taking place within Sinn Féin. The book was a powerful tool for change, and it helped to bring about a change in the way that the IRA and Sinn Féin were perceived by the public. Máiría Cahill's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of speaking out against injustice and the need for accountability in our society. It is a story that should be read by everyone, and it should inspire us to take action to make a difference in the world.
Rough Beast, written by Máiría Cahill, is a shocking, important, and unputdownable book that tells the harrowing story of her life and the experiences she endured at the hands of Ireland's largest and richest party. The book provides a detailed and honest account of the unimaginable trauma and political corruption that she faced. It sheds light on a world of paramilitary secrecy and parallel laws, highlighting the influence of ex-gunmen on elected politicians. Cahill's story is particularly compelling because she grew up steeped in the traditions of Irish republicanism and the IRA, with her great-uncle Joe being one of the main founders of the Provisional IRA and her grandfather being Gerry Adams's mentor. Despite her upbringing, Cahill seemed destined for a successful career within Sinn Féin, the political party that was enjoying the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement. However, at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a prominent Belfast IRA man. When she confided in some friends, one of them betrayed her trust and informed the IRA without her knowledge. A year later, the organization came calling, and Cahill was forced to participate in an inept and insensitive internal investigation. She was subjected to round after round of interrogations by senior IRA men and women, often in safe houses around Belfast. Her account of what happened was doubted, and she was told to keep quiet. But Cahill refused to be silenced. She began to speak out about the abuse, and her story began to gain traction. She wrote a book about her experiences, which was published in 2014. The book was a bestseller, and it brought her to the attention of the wider public. In the book, Cahill detailed the abuse she suffered at the hands of the IRA and called for action to be taken to address the issue. She also spoke out about the political corruption that was taking place within Sinn Féin. The book was a powerful tool for change, and it helped to bring about a change in the way that the IRA and Sinn Féin were perceived by the public. Cahill's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of speaking out against injustice and the need for accountability in our society. It is a story that should be read by everyone, and it should inspire us to take action to make a difference in the world.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 200 x 130 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781804540138