Book excerpt: Portrait of one of Cork's foremost guerrilla leaders, who fought in the War of Independence and the Civil War and was a leading politician in the Fianna Fail Government for two decades until his untimely death in 1957. Sean Moylan offers a close and personal look at the man and his life. A fearless fighter, he led a series of ambushes in Cork as Commandant of the Cork No. 2 Brigade. He was part of the team that captured the only British General to be abducted during the War of Independence. Following the truce he fought on the anti-Treaty side during the Civil War. He was elected to the Dail in 1932 and served in various Cabinet posts until his death in 1957. Featuring previously unpublished letters from key figures in the Republican movement, this new biography offers a crucial insight into the realities of the War of Independence, the Civil War and the foundation of Fianna Fail.