Why Did They Lie?

The Irish Civil War, the Truth, Where and When it Began

Jack Kiernan

Jack Kiernan is an author and investigative historian who specialises in cold cases, murder mysteries and miscarriages of justice. Other published books include Is It Me? The Joseph Heffernan Story (2014) and I Declare Before My God: The Brian and James Seery Story (2019).

He lives and works in Mullingar, the town where he was born and raised. He is a retired Irish Army serviceman and former National Welfare Officer with PDFORRA.

For further information, see his official website.

Where and when did the Irish Civil War begin? Most people, with any knowledge of Irish history, would be able to tell you that hostilities commenced with the sacking of the Four Courts in Dublin, towards the end of June 1922. However, most people would be wrong! That is the view of Jack Kiernan, who sets out to investigate the roots of a tragic and bitter conflict, that proceeded apace with the emergence of independent Irish statehood.

Growing up in an Irish Midlands town and being taught Irish History at school, Jack Kiernan remembers being told by his teachers that "if anything of importance happened in Mullingar, it would have been recorded."

Bullet holes remnants in the walls of prominent local buildings seemed to give lie to these bland assertions, as did the recollections of older neighbours, alluding to "the shooting of unarmed prisoners during the Civil War."

What he only discovered, much later, was that events of, not just local but national significance had taken place in the town where he grew up. What’s more, they had been recorded, only to be buried deep within the archives – almost as if they had been deliberately covered up!

The evidence that he reveals here, demonstrates that open hostilities between pro- and anti-treaty forces were already in place throughout the country, prior to the events in Dublin. Furthermore, gun battles took place in the town of Mullingar during the month of April 1922, resulting in deaths. Evidence also suggests that British forces, though officially withdrawn, may have fired the first shots that that set Irish against Irish and brother against brother.

The events of the Irish Civil War (1922-1923) have cast a long shadow over Irish life. This book sheds important light on a dark chapter in Irish history; a contribution towards the debate that surely must accompany the centenaries of these events, which are now just around the corner.

I Declare Before My God by Jack Kiernan	Is It Me? The Joseph Heffernan Story by Jack Kiernan

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"An Explosive New Mullingar Book. Jack Kiernan's controversial 'take' sheds light on local civil War story." – Westmeath Topic 15 February 2018 – front page story

"It has always been said that 'the truth can be blamed but it cannot be shamed' ... Jack Kiernan has succeeded in the past ... in producing books [seeking] to expose the truth about particular subjects, like the murder of Mary Walker in July 1909. ... It seems likely that Jack's latest book will create more controversy than any book of its kind in recent years ... Most authors are content ... to rely on what others have written but ... Jack Kiernan has gone to considerable lengths to prove the contentious – even explosive – claims which he puts forward. ... And much of his material comes from official records, like the Irish Military Archives and the Irish Newspaper Archives in Dublin. ... If his highly controversial claims are proved correct – and they are well supported and backed by fully available documentation – then some history books need re-writing." – Westmeath Topic, 15 February 2018

Listen to interview with Jack Kiernan that went out on Irish Radio Canada on 18 February 2018. Download the podcast.