Description
Austin Stack was one of the central figures in the Irish revolutionary period. From his role in the lead-up to the 1916 Rising, through his senior positions in Sinn Féin and participation in the Irish delegation to London, he stood at the heart of the political struggle for independence.
Yet behind this public role was a markedly private and selfeffacing man. Stack struggled with public speaking and often expressed doubt about his own abilities. Despite this, he became a trusted organiser, a committed activist and a symbol of unwavering republican principles, particularly in Kerry. His life was marked by imprisonment, hunger strikes and sustained political pressure, all of which took a lasting toll on his health and shaped his reputation as a figure of endurance and sacrifice.
Unchanged and Unchangeable, the first biography of Austin Stack, reveals a man whose presence was often understated but whose legacy is deeply felt today.
Contents
1. ‘Nurtured in the traditions of Fenianism’
2. ‘A tower of strength to his team’
3. ‘Be armed, and armed without delay’
4. ‘Necessary to offer ourselves as martyrs’
5. ‘Oh God, lads, the game is up’
6. ‘I am not afraid to sacrifice myself for my country’
7. ‘He got the tube down eventually, causing me great pain’
8. ‘Enthrone the great O’Stack as King of West Kerry’
9. ‘We would follow Austin Stack to death’
10. ‘To provide a Court in every corner of Ireland’
11. ‘Your department, Austin, is nothing but a bloody joke’
12. ‘The Republic, the whole Republic, and nothing but the Republic’
13. ‘If you don’t believe it in your hearts vote against it’
14. ‘The Irish Republic will never be allowed to die’
15. ‘Worse than the Black and Tans have ever done’
16. ‘They require hostages to protect them from ghosts’
17. ‘There should be no such thing as compromise’
18. ‘One of Ireland’s bravest and best’
About the Author
Dr Owen O’Shea is the author of several books on history and politics in his native county of Kerry, including the highly-acclaimed No Middle Path: The Civil War in Kerry (Merrion Press, 2022), Ballymacandy: the Story of a Kerry Ambush (Merrion Press, 2021) and Heirs to the Kingdom: Kerry’s Political Dynasties (O’Brien Press, 2011). O’Shea currently works as Media, Communications and Customer Relations Officer with Kerry County Council. He holds a PhD from the School of History at UCD.
