Rough Beast cover art

Rough Beast

My Story and the Reality of Sinn Féin

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Rough Beast

By: Máiría Cahill
Narrated by: Máiría Cahill
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Rough Beast written and read by Máiría Cahill.

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 had been done to her. Her assailant was allowed to confront and denounce her. Eventually her rapist was permitted to vanish from Belfast while Sinn Féin and the IRA professed bafflement about his whereabouts.©2023 Máiría Cahill (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Corruption & Misconduct Historical Politics & Government Women Inspiring

Listeners also enjoyed...

 The Padre cover art
Dirty Linen cover art
Double Agent cover art
The Long Game cover art
Stakeknife's Dirty War cover art
Poor cover art
Cardinal cover art
To Boldly Go Where No Book Has Gone Before cover art
Blanketmen cover art
Enough cover art
The Monk cover art
Wicked Beyond Belief: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper cover art
Madhouse cover art
Heiress, Rebel, Vigilante, Bomber cover art
The Louder I Will Sing cover art
Fallen cover art
All stars
Most relevant
incredible bravery from Maria, A real eye opener on the depravity of Sinn Fein and it's leadership

a genuine hero

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Once I started it, I found it hard to put it down. truly inspiring

I was gripped from the start.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A well written and articulate account of a nightmarish situation. I would say that I enjoyed the book, if the details were not so harrowing and shocking. Máiría wades through oceans of detail with a matter of fact tone, which draws the reader into every aspect. Normally such volumes of material would be monotonous, however, Máiría is able to draw you into her story so well, that every detail is necessary and ingested with enthusiasm. The pain of taking this stand is well communicated and the determination to proceed is truly admirable. A no holds barred account, which doesn't miss and hit the wall. An extremely courageous and remarkable woman who singlehandedly took on the Republican establishment and held them to account. I pray that in the telling of her story, this is a cathartic moment for her. As is evident with all abuse victims, peace and healing is an ongoing daily effort.
go mbeannaí Dia thú

Essential Reading

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Mairia tells her truth like a grenade detonating with shrapnel hitting home on a number of scores. From being a frightened and nervous young woman raped by a an IRA thug, and the subsequent treatment of her by the IRA, that has transformed her into a warrior fighting against a corrupt unlawful regime, who tried to control her, and protect the abuser within its ranks. Boy did they make a mistake, one that still causes them to hide from her all these years later!!
An absolutely riveting story, one that puts the IRA and Sinn Féin in the spotlight and shows them to be the corrupt and manipulative group of liars and an institution whose leaders use fear and terror to get their way.
This is the story about a brave young woman who chose to confront them and their manipulation, from Jerry Adams, to Mary Lou, the chief manipulators of fear, who lie as easily as honest people tell the truth!
An absolute must read for everyone who believes that Sinn Fein is Ireland’s answer to Government!

Sinn Féin’s worst nightmare - The TRUTH!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book sums up the ignorance of politicians who only think of themselves Maria Cahill is with out doubt the strongest woman in Northern Ireland

Strong woman

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews