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The Yank

My Life as a Former US Marine in the IRA

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About this listen

The year is 1975. A young Irish-American is on a mission to enlist in an elite unit of the US Marine Corps. His goal: to receive the most intensive military training possible and then go to Ireland to join the IRA and fight to end the British occupation of the North.

In this powerful and brutally honest memoir of his extraordinary experiences, John Crawley details the gruelling challenges of his Marine Corps training, and how, not long after his discharge, he joined the IRA. Soon he found himself in Boston, working with notorious American mobster James ‘Whitey' Bulger to amass a shipment of weapons. When captured on the Marita Ann gun-running trawler off the Kerry coast, Crawley was imprisoned for ten years, and upon his release he became one of the masterminds behind the IRA's plan to throw London's electrical system into disarray.

Crawley is blisteringly candid about the people he worked with and unflinching in his commentary on the IRA leadership. Through it all comes the steadfast voice of a man on a mission, providing an evocative and passionate account of where that mission led him and why. To this day, he remains committed to the establishment of an all-Ireland Republic.

©2022 John Crawley (P)2024 W. F. Howes Ltd Europe Military Marine Corps
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Passionate, truthful, descriptive, educational intertwined with fact and option. A must for anyone who has an interest in the northern conflict. Written by a true Republican.

The passionate style of descriptive writing

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An excellent account of a dedicated patriot who believed in a Sovereign Republic and an insight into some of the enemies from within the movement.

Fantastic Read

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There is another book, called secret victory both authors would be the polar opposite of each other, they are both trying to say the same thing ,unfortunately secret victory is a slog , and a hard listen.
The yank was an interesting and surprisingly cracking book, I have read extensively on the subject of Northern Ireland thought I had heard it all before; I wouldn't agree with a lot of Mr Crawley,s view or any of his views for that matter, but that doesn't detract from this offering.
Speaking as a man who likes his creature comforts,for the life of me I can't understand why anyone would put themselves through the hardship Mr Crawley endured ?

Different angle.

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Great book disappointed John didn’t narrate his own book, I could listen to his wisdom infinitely.

I do think John is a very deep thinker and aware of the futility of this conflict with many people with differing agendas.

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It was the best book from audiobooks I’ve listened to so far , enjoyed every bit not one dull moment

All excellent

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