In his new book “The Battle Of Tourmakeady - Fact or Fiction” Capt. Donal Buckley, M.A. (Hist)., examines the events at Tourmakeady on May 3^rd 1921, when the IRA’s South Mayo Column, under the command of Commandant Tom Maguire ambushed an R.I.C./ Black and Tan patrol in the village.

Subsequent to the action, there was conflicting claims made by the IRA and the Crown Forces, each side differing on the total number of casualties suffered.

Capt. Buckley has studied the evidence in detail and gives the reader an objective assessment of events leading up to the ambush and its aftermath.

Donal Buckley has served as an officer in the Irish army, most of his service was on the border with Northern Ireland. He has also served two tours of duty with a peacekeeping battalion in UNIFIL (Southern Lebanon) and a tour as a military observer in MINURSO (Western Sahara). He has an avid interest in Irish and military history, especially the revolutionary years 1913 - 1921.

The book launch takes place in the Castlebar Library on Thursday, 31^st July at 8 pm.