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Rough Beast
- My Story and the Reality of Sinn Féin
- Narrated by: Máiría Cahill
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
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Rough Beast
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Summary
Number One Bestseller
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.
Critic reviews
"Rough Beast is shocking, important and unputdownable." Roddy Doyle
What listeners say about Rough Beast
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- Brian Cunningham
- 02-03-24
Brilliant
Book of the year, no doubt about it. Brilliant from start to finish. Read the book then decided to get the audible version. Mairia narrating the book herself hits differently. A brave and courages woman.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- darren
- 02-11-23
Courage.
It takes courage for someone from the Republican Community to speak the truth about those at the top of the ira, it takes even more courage when they've endured what Mairia has.
Unfortunately too many people today, especially the young in America, the UK and the Republic of Ireland idolise a party and organisation that insists only the British Government have guilt over events in Northern Ireland.
Victims of abuse, sectarianism and violence will never have justice whilst one party is allowed to dictate the rights and wrongs of a conflict that will take many decades to heal if ever.
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- stew
- 08-01-24
Strong woman
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
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Joe
- 12-10-23
A harrowing, honest and courageous story
The claustrophobia, fear, grief and anxiety are absolutely palpable in Mairias recount of unimaginable trauma
This layered and juxtaposed with immense courage, honesty, integrity and advocacy on her part. She is an inspiration, the epitome of the strength of the human spirit. Essential reading
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- miss b
- 09-11-23
I was gripped from the start.
Once I started it, I found it hard to put it down. truly inspiring
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- Garreth
- 15-02-24
The truth
Well done Maria
It took courage to tell the truth about SF/IRA
How any right minded person can vote for them is beyond comprehension
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- FlahertyFiction
- 23-01-24
Maria cahills bravery
what fearlessness to go up against the ira and the community that have supported it. to have the voices of its victims inconveniently heard from the Shadows and from long forgotten and graves known only to the few.
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- Nigel Kirkpatrick
- 01-10-23
Essential Reading
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
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- Amazon Customer
- 19-10-23
Peter
An excellent book, harrowing at times. Māiria is a brave woman.
If the Irish Republic are going to vote in Sinn Fein at the next election then the Irish people are going to need people like her to take them on.
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- MR A PATTERSON
- 14-02-24
Brave
A thoroughly well written book that, despite the horrific subject matter, is hard to ‘put down’. The honesty Cahill displays in discussing the impact her abuse had on her shows just how devastating it can be for those who have suffered it. Likewise, the response to it from many was clearly despicable, and it’s only right they should be called out.
Not many people would have had the courage to do what Cahill has done.
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