Former comrades turn guns on each other as Ireland’s revolution becomes civil war nightmare. Michael Collins is killed, ‘The Terror’ begins with daily executions, and heroes become traumatised survivors. Brutal street warfare, prison escapes, botched firing squads in ten months of hell. Modern Ireland was truly forged not in the glory of Easter Week, but in the ashes of the civil war.

Many of Our Best Lie There explores unforgettable characters and stories, such as the almost supernatural warnings ignored before Michael Collins, Ireland's most charismatic leader, met his tragic fate. Follow legendary figures like Harry Boland, Ernie O'Malley and Joe O'Connor as they navigate betrayal, capture and the psychological scars of revolution. Gripping military action unfolds from seaborne National Army landings to mass IRA prison escapes, as urban guerrilla warfare brings Dublin to its knees and former allies turn their guns on each other. Dark historical truths reveal 'The Terror' — the state-sanctioned brutality that averaged more than one frequently botched execution per day in January 1923, showing how revolutionary ideals corrupted under the pressure of civil war.

This is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how modern Ireland was truly born — not just in the glory of 1916–1921, but in the ashes of civil war.

Derek Molyneux and Darren Kelly are the co-authors of Tomorrow with Bayonets, Someone Has to Die for This, Killing at its Very Extreme, When the Clock Struck in 1916 and Those of Us Who Must Die. They have contributed to the Irish Times and History Ireland. Derek, an expert in Irish revolutionary history, often appears on radio debates and interviews and works for the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage in County Westmeath. Darren, a full-time author/historian, lives in Essex, England. Together, they manage the popular Facebook page 'Dublin 1916 – 1923 Then and Now.'