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Rough Beast: My Story and the Reality of Sinn Féin
NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER IN THE IRISH NON-FICTION CHARTS"Rough Beast is shocking, important and unputdownable." Roddy Doyle
Rough Beast is Máiría Cahill's harrowing story of her life and of what she went through at the hands of what is now Ireland's largest and richest party. That story is told here for the first time in full detail and with unsparing honesty. It is a story of unimaginable trauma and political corruption. It brings to life a world of paramilitary secrecy and parallel laws, but above all it is the story of one young woman's defiance of the power wielded by ex-gunmen inspiring fear and silence, and their influence over elected politicians.
Máiría Cahill grew up steeped in the traditions of Irish republicanism and the shadowy world of the her great-uncle Joe was one of the main founders of the Provisional IRA and her grandfather was Gerry Adams's mentor in the republican movement. From an early age she seemed destined for a glittering career within the increasingly successful political machine of Sinn Féin, which was then enjoying the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement. She worked in a radio station alongside leading republicans; the Sinn Féin offices were her second home. She knew Gerry Adams and other senior republicans as family friends.
But at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a prominent Belfast IRA man. When she confided in some friends she trusted about the abuse, one of them told the IRA without Máiría's knowledge. A year later the organisation came calling, and forced her to take part in an inept and grotesquely insensitive internal investigation. She was subjected to round after round of interrogations by senior IRA men and women, usually in a network of safe houses around Belfast. Doubt was cast on her account of what had been done to her. Her assailant was allowed to confront and denounce her. Eventually her rapist was permitted to vanish from Belfast while Sinn Féin and the IRA professed bafflement about his whereabouts.
Rough Beast is Máiría Cahill's harrowing story of her life and of what she went through at the hands of what is now Ireland's largest and richest party. That story is told here for the first time in full detail and with unsparing honesty. It is a story of unimaginable trauma and political corruption. It brings to life a world of paramilitary secrecy and parallel laws, but above all it is the story of one young woman's defiance of the power wielded by ex-gunmen inspiring fear and silence, and their influence over elected politicians.
Máiría Cahill grew up steeped in the traditions of Irish republicanism and the shadowy world of the her great-uncle Joe was one of the main founders of the Provisional IRA and her grandfather was Gerry Adams's mentor in the republican movement. From an early age she seemed destined for a glittering career within the increasingly successful political machine of Sinn Féin, which was then enjoying the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement. She worked in a radio station alongside leading republicans; the Sinn Féin offices were her second home. She knew Gerry Adams and other senior republicans as family friends.
But at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a prominent Belfast IRA man. When she confided in some friends she trusted about the abuse, one of them told the IRA without Máiría's knowledge. A year later the organisation came calling, and forced her to take part in an inept and grotesquely insensitive internal investigation. She was subjected to round after round of interrogations by senior IRA men and women, usually in a network of safe houses around Belfast. Doubt was cast on her account of what had been done to her. Her assailant was allowed to confront and denounce her. Eventually her rapist was permitted to vanish from Belfast while Sinn Féin and the IRA professed bafflement about his whereabouts.
523 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 2, 2025
I have read much about "the troubles" and the IRA, and was interested in learning about Sinn Féin.
This book, however, is the story of a sexually abused teenager and her treatment at the hands of the IRA, then years long fight for justice.
We know of the Catholic Church's mishandling of sexual abuse, but it seems the IRA was also guilty.
A very brave woman.
This book, however, is the story of a sexually abused teenager and her treatment at the hands of the IRA, then years long fight for justice.
We know of the Catholic Church's mishandling of sexual abuse, but it seems the IRA was also guilty.
A very brave woman.
October 10, 2023
Wow. Just wow. This book is stunning. Máiria Cahill has managed to write a perfectly harrowing account of the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her aunt's boyfriend, a member of the IRA, and the devastating impact that had on her teenage body and mind, PLUS a frankly jaw-dropping account of the IRA's TWO spectacularly mismanaged investigations of her abuse, during which they managed to retraumatise her and almost broke her completely. And that's just Part 1.
Part 2 details the ways in which the justice system in Northern Ireland failed Máiria and other victims of republican abusers. It is only when Sinn Fein, for the first half of the book a minor player, takes centre stage that the full horror, and comedy, is revealed.
Cahill eviscerates Adams in this book and leaves him and his political reputation a bloodied mess. But then, he's faced down other serious threats to his career. Of all the awful details of his character that are revealed in this book, the one that sickened me the most is that he made a statement to social services during his brother Liam's divorce that Liam's wife kept a dirty house and her children were dirty, thereby accusing her of being a bad mother. Liam had been sexually abusing his own daughter for years and it is likely that Adams knew this at this point, but his objective was to tarnish the mother's reputation. The particularly Northern Irish misogyny and sheer vitriol of this act took my breath away.
Mary Lou McDonald suffers a similar fate at the hand of Cahill, who paints her as Adams' puppet, the acceptable face of republicanism but in total thrall to Adams and the old guard of the IRA.
If Cahill hasn't already considered a career as a political scetch writer, she really should start. She vividly recreates hilarious exchanges in the Dail and some of these made me laugh out loud. I loved the energy of these later chapters, especially compared to the sluggish, malnourished, PTSD traumatised girl in the first half of the book. That alone provides a happy ending.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and Maria Cahill has served both Adams and McDonald on ice, like 2 beautifully dressed crabs. I hope the shockwaves from this book bring about lasting change for victims of both sexual violence and paramilitaries taking the law into their own hands.
And I wish Máiria Cahill and her daughter a long, happy and successful life.
Part 2 details the ways in which the justice system in Northern Ireland failed Máiria and other victims of republican abusers. It is only when Sinn Fein, for the first half of the book a minor player, takes centre stage that the full horror, and comedy, is revealed.
Cahill eviscerates Adams in this book and leaves him and his political reputation a bloodied mess. But then, he's faced down other serious threats to his career. Of all the awful details of his character that are revealed in this book, the one that sickened me the most is that he made a statement to social services during his brother Liam's divorce that Liam's wife kept a dirty house and her children were dirty, thereby accusing her of being a bad mother. Liam had been sexually abusing his own daughter for years and it is likely that Adams knew this at this point, but his objective was to tarnish the mother's reputation. The particularly Northern Irish misogyny and sheer vitriol of this act took my breath away.
Mary Lou McDonald suffers a similar fate at the hand of Cahill, who paints her as Adams' puppet, the acceptable face of republicanism but in total thrall to Adams and the old guard of the IRA.
If Cahill hasn't already considered a career as a political scetch writer, she really should start. She vividly recreates hilarious exchanges in the Dail and some of these made me laugh out loud. I loved the energy of these later chapters, especially compared to the sluggish, malnourished, PTSD traumatised girl in the first half of the book. That alone provides a happy ending.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and Maria Cahill has served both Adams and McDonald on ice, like 2 beautifully dressed crabs. I hope the shockwaves from this book bring about lasting change for victims of both sexual violence and paramilitaries taking the law into their own hands.
And I wish Máiria Cahill and her daughter a long, happy and successful life.
February 18, 2025
Incredible writing and storytelling. I had never heard of Máiría Cahill before and I've honestly never felt someone's anger through a book like I felt hers but girl GET OFF TWITTER!!! Why are you surprised people are mean online?? Still very well written and yet another reminder of all the questionable things Ireland has done ://
October 22, 2023
Rough Beast
One of the most insightful books on the provisional movement’s (Sinn Fein/IRA) campaign of violence, abuse and inhumanity on the island of Ireland.
One of the most insightful books on the provisional movement’s (Sinn Fein/IRA) campaign of violence, abuse and inhumanity on the island of Ireland.
December 2, 2023
A very insightful book into the workings of the IRA and their mistreatment of victims of abuse. Mairia Cahill gives a detailed and very honest account of her harrowing ordeal. It is a very accessible book and doesn't require previous knowledge of Northern Ireland and its history.
September 14, 2024
I found the first part extremely difficult to read and even considered giving up. However moving on to the later phase of the book after she went public was riveting. This is an extremely important book for voters looking for alternatives to the current Irish government.
December 5, 2023
Fascinating
I believe her. It's that simple and given her pure republican background,so different from mine, I've no doubt. Shame on all involved in the attempts to cover up and discredit.
I believe her. It's that simple and given her pure republican background,so different from mine, I've no doubt. Shame on all involved in the attempts to cover up and discredit.
October 18, 2023
Intense and revealing. Thank you to the author for writing about her experiences with broken and failing systems and for her incredible efforts to affect lasting change for survivors of sexual abuse.
February 24, 2024
Máiría Cahill is an absolute force of nature. It's difficult to understand how somebody could go through such abuse and hardship, yet still come out fighting for justice for those who've been victimized by vicious sexual predators. As a country, Ireland owes her a huge amount for speaking out. She's an incredibly eloquent and determined force for good. She has not only acted on her own behalf, but also on behalf of many others, both men and women, whose stories of rape and abuse were assigned to a vigilante court and then brushed aside to preserve the image of the Sinn Féin party and the republican movement as a whole.
The thing is, most of us don't want a 32-county republic that's achieved by silencing and holding coordinated malignant online smear campaigns against the victims of child sexual abuse. We've had enough of that already with other institutions in the country that moved around abusers: schools, churches, sports clubs. To add Sinn Féin into this incredibly toxic mix, with their slick press officers crafting dissembling denials on behalf of the party leadership, would be a disaster.
The idea that a 16-year-old who had experienced a series of rapes by a man who (unsuccessfully) attempted to use his IRA membership to intimidate her into silence, would then be subjected to an incredibly problematic 'investigation' and bizarre 'court' where paramilitaries claimed to read body language to get to the truth, is just so outrageous that at times, this book is hard to stomach. And yet, having encountered a couple of former IRA members personally who seemed to have absolutely no respect for women, in a weird sort of a way, none of this surprises me (I've encountered some decent former IRA members too, who didn't terrorize women, I must add for clarification). I had concluded long before reading this book that the needs of women and children were most likely secondary to the supposed socialist republic that would be heralded in eventually, once all the kneecappings, punishment beatings, and disappearances that needed to take place had been accomplished.
The idea that there are predators in any Irish setting is unsurprising. Predators exist, and many of them take advantage of teenage girls because they know that girls of that age tend not to have fully developed their antennae or boundaries, and are likely to be so humiliated and embarrassed about the abuse that they don't report what is happening to them. These people are aware that the younger the victim, the more likely they are to internalize the shame that rightfully belongs to the abuser. (I know of one case in the '80s where a prominent individual was taped making grooming calls to teenage girls who got access to call recording technology, and the tapes are to this day in a bank vault.) For Sinn Féin and the IRA to compound the damage done by forcing an already fractured young woman to confront her abuser in a ridiculous kangaroo court in a safe house living room is beyond reprehensible.
This book gets very technical in the second half about political rhetoric used by Sinn Féin on the case as it played out in the media. The tone changes quite a lot from memoir to kind of a crusade to hold Sinn Féin accountable. While I agree that this accountability is necessary, for me, it seemed a little bit like overkill at times, as statements and counter-statements between Cahill and Sinn Féin are parsed to show inconsistencies in the Sinn Féin narrative (of which there are many).
As someone who grew up with Section 31, which I strenuously believed was wrong and counterproductive, at times I must admit I felt like starting a campaign to bring it back! This part of the book was a bit relentless. Clearly, Cahill felt the need to show up the problems in the well-oiled Sinn Féin publicity machine, but it seemed that this point could be made much more succinctly. I mean, we're all aware that much of the time Gerry Adams says the exact opposite of what is actually the case in an effort to maintain a kind of an elder statesman image. He doesn't even know what the abbreviation IRA stands for, he would have us believe, and was too busy with his trampoline and teddies to ever find out, let alone join that organization. It stands to reason, then, that he's never heard of kangaroo courts in safe houses where numerous people were forced to confront their rapists.
The vast majority of us already know what this party culture is like and overwhelmingly believe Máiría Cahill, so it would have taken a lot less narrative to drive that point home in the book. The party was shaped for too long by adverse social conditions, including the inherently Loyalist makeup of the RUC. Exorcising this culture of cover-ups is likely to take decades. The sad reality is that in situations of intense conflict, all sorts of corruption and criminality inevitably thrive, and those with tendencies toward sexual predation often have a field day.
Forcing a young girl to face a rapist who is part of the punishment squad of the IRA, elevating him to a senior position in the Restorative Justice committee, giving him credibility in the community, getting your party faithful to run online smear campaigns against an already abused woman - where's the moral compass in all of this? Predators are often hypocrites who masquerade as pillars of the community, and they seemed to have no shortage of enablers in this case. Do we want this terrorizing force running Ireland? I think not. The deprogramming is only in its early stages and there is clearly much work to be done to heal wounds inflicted. A 32 county Ireland would be a good thing, possibly, some day, but that end would never in my mind justify such means.
The thing is, most of us don't want a 32-county republic that's achieved by silencing and holding coordinated malignant online smear campaigns against the victims of child sexual abuse. We've had enough of that already with other institutions in the country that moved around abusers: schools, churches, sports clubs. To add Sinn Féin into this incredibly toxic mix, with their slick press officers crafting dissembling denials on behalf of the party leadership, would be a disaster.
The idea that a 16-year-old who had experienced a series of rapes by a man who (unsuccessfully) attempted to use his IRA membership to intimidate her into silence, would then be subjected to an incredibly problematic 'investigation' and bizarre 'court' where paramilitaries claimed to read body language to get to the truth, is just so outrageous that at times, this book is hard to stomach. And yet, having encountered a couple of former IRA members personally who seemed to have absolutely no respect for women, in a weird sort of a way, none of this surprises me (I've encountered some decent former IRA members too, who didn't terrorize women, I must add for clarification). I had concluded long before reading this book that the needs of women and children were most likely secondary to the supposed socialist republic that would be heralded in eventually, once all the kneecappings, punishment beatings, and disappearances that needed to take place had been accomplished.
The idea that there are predators in any Irish setting is unsurprising. Predators exist, and many of them take advantage of teenage girls because they know that girls of that age tend not to have fully developed their antennae or boundaries, and are likely to be so humiliated and embarrassed about the abuse that they don't report what is happening to them. These people are aware that the younger the victim, the more likely they are to internalize the shame that rightfully belongs to the abuser. (I know of one case in the '80s where a prominent individual was taped making grooming calls to teenage girls who got access to call recording technology, and the tapes are to this day in a bank vault.) For Sinn Féin and the IRA to compound the damage done by forcing an already fractured young woman to confront her abuser in a ridiculous kangaroo court in a safe house living room is beyond reprehensible.
This book gets very technical in the second half about political rhetoric used by Sinn Féin on the case as it played out in the media. The tone changes quite a lot from memoir to kind of a crusade to hold Sinn Féin accountable. While I agree that this accountability is necessary, for me, it seemed a little bit like overkill at times, as statements and counter-statements between Cahill and Sinn Féin are parsed to show inconsistencies in the Sinn Féin narrative (of which there are many).
As someone who grew up with Section 31, which I strenuously believed was wrong and counterproductive, at times I must admit I felt like starting a campaign to bring it back! This part of the book was a bit relentless. Clearly, Cahill felt the need to show up the problems in the well-oiled Sinn Féin publicity machine, but it seemed that this point could be made much more succinctly. I mean, we're all aware that much of the time Gerry Adams says the exact opposite of what is actually the case in an effort to maintain a kind of an elder statesman image. He doesn't even know what the abbreviation IRA stands for, he would have us believe, and was too busy with his trampoline and teddies to ever find out, let alone join that organization. It stands to reason, then, that he's never heard of kangaroo courts in safe houses where numerous people were forced to confront their rapists.
The vast majority of us already know what this party culture is like and overwhelmingly believe Máiría Cahill, so it would have taken a lot less narrative to drive that point home in the book. The party was shaped for too long by adverse social conditions, including the inherently Loyalist makeup of the RUC. Exorcising this culture of cover-ups is likely to take decades. The sad reality is that in situations of intense conflict, all sorts of corruption and criminality inevitably thrive, and those with tendencies toward sexual predation often have a field day.
Forcing a young girl to face a rapist who is part of the punishment squad of the IRA, elevating him to a senior position in the Restorative Justice committee, giving him credibility in the community, getting your party faithful to run online smear campaigns against an already abused woman - where's the moral compass in all of this? Predators are often hypocrites who masquerade as pillars of the community, and they seemed to have no shortage of enablers in this case. Do we want this terrorizing force running Ireland? I think not. The deprogramming is only in its early stages and there is clearly much work to be done to heal wounds inflicted. A 32 county Ireland would be a good thing, possibly, some day, but that end would never in my mind justify such means.
December 8, 2024
A very insightful and powerful account on the sexual abuse cover ups that ran through the republican community. Mary Lou and Gerry Adams are terrifying and woeful at the same time.
June 29, 2025
Important book about refusing to be silenced.
May 26, 2024
This is one brave young woman’s story, and she tells it in great detail no holds barred.
Mairia Cahill grew up in the republican area of West Belfast, her family had strong connections to the IRA and Sinn Fein, her Great Uncle was one of the founders of the Provisional IRA, and her grandfather was mentor to Gerry Adams. Mairia was destined for great things in politics, involved herself in Sinn Fein in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement. She was fond of her role in the local radio stations and worked tirelessly in the Sinn Fein offices. This all changed when at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a senior member of the IRA. After confiding in one of her friends, word soon got back to the IRA, and a year later, over the course of many months, she was subjected to a horrific internal investigation. Forced to meet with members of the group, and faced with hours of intense questioning at a time, Mairia was broken but not defeated. It was clear that she wasn’t believed, and her attacker was allowed to slip away into hiding, and not face any consequences of his actions. Denial after denial followed, the political party had no idea this abuse had taken place, or did they allow or know that the assailant had absconded. What followed was years of campaigning, and the defiance and bravery to bring the issue of abuse by members of the IRA into public and political view.
This story is absolutely heartbreaking, how Mairia had the will and the fight to go on as she did just amazes me. The level of detail, and the full extent of what she went through not just at the time but for years after is just staggering. How she even felt she could trust people again when members of her own family were not totally truthful with her is testament to her character. A real eye opener, and Mairia has clearly helped so many people in the process of seeking justice not only for herself, but for all the other people who had been in the same position. One strong lady, I have full admiration for you Mairia you’re absolutely amazing!
Mairia Cahill grew up in the republican area of West Belfast, her family had strong connections to the IRA and Sinn Fein, her Great Uncle was one of the founders of the Provisional IRA, and her grandfather was mentor to Gerry Adams. Mairia was destined for great things in politics, involved herself in Sinn Fein in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement. She was fond of her role in the local radio stations and worked tirelessly in the Sinn Fein offices. This all changed when at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a senior member of the IRA. After confiding in one of her friends, word soon got back to the IRA, and a year later, over the course of many months, she was subjected to a horrific internal investigation. Forced to meet with members of the group, and faced with hours of intense questioning at a time, Mairia was broken but not defeated. It was clear that she wasn’t believed, and her attacker was allowed to slip away into hiding, and not face any consequences of his actions. Denial after denial followed, the political party had no idea this abuse had taken place, or did they allow or know that the assailant had absconded. What followed was years of campaigning, and the defiance and bravery to bring the issue of abuse by members of the IRA into public and political view.
This story is absolutely heartbreaking, how Mairia had the will and the fight to go on as she did just amazes me. The level of detail, and the full extent of what she went through not just at the time but for years after is just staggering. How she even felt she could trust people again when members of her own family were not totally truthful with her is testament to her character. A real eye opener, and Mairia has clearly helped so many people in the process of seeking justice not only for herself, but for all the other people who had been in the same position. One strong lady, I have full admiration for you Mairia you’re absolutely amazing!
July 25, 2025
Such a powerful memoir about a harrowing story that needed to be told. Just so incredibly well written. An absolute MUST read for anyone reading about the Troubles. It offers such a unique perspective on Sinn Fein and the IRA. Pulling some notable passages that I think highlighted well many of the problems with Sinn Féin/The IRA not usually discussed:
Page 85: “Belfast was a harsh place, and most of the republican women I knew were no exception to the hard rule. Any semblance of a gentler femininity was lost as the women of the republican movement tried to be coarser, ballsier and tougher than their male counterparts. There were exceptions, but they were few and far between. Some of this was due to living in rough inner-city areas, some of it to a romanticised notion of everyone having to be self-sacrificing (families included) in the struggle to free Ireland. But most of it was derived from having to prove themselves in a patriarchal army structure where women were publicly espoused as the 'backbone' of the movement, yet privately treated as commodities and domestic servants. They were useful for gathering information, for dealing with the finer details, or for making up the numbers on active service units so as not to arouse the suspicion of the police or British army. They Farey held leadership positions within the structure.”
Page 141:”'Don't be saying anything,' she said, alarmed that I might start talking - the IRA obsession with silence and keeping it in 'the family' overruled all other considerations”
Page 232: “'From information that we have picked up, and we have talked to other people, this may have been a broader trend within the republican movement, he said, continuing: Just like the church, the republican movement says the institution of the republican movement is more important than individual victims.”
Page 247: “As I got to know him better, he was kind and scrupulous in his recall of detail. I had no doubt he was telling the truth, but what he told me shocked me to my core.
He reeled off names and incidents in which the IRA had known about suspected pedophiles and had simply moved them on, mimicking the worst behaviour of the Catholic Church. In some cases, the perpetrators were dead. In others, they were very much alive. He told me about a senior IRA man suspected of abuse who had further access to other children. In another case, an IRA man was moved to the south of Ireland after abusing a young child. He was again accused of abuse in a safe house in Dublin. Another man, a senior figure in the movement, had been given help to flee the country and had set up home somewhere in America. Some of the people mentioned were household names.”
Page 302: “I picked up a copy of my interview the previous day with Brian Campbell of the Irish News, after the Robinson meeting, and I was glad that I had evoked the image of the Catholic church to illustrate how I felt the republican movement had dealt with abuse:
The Catholic church behaved in the wrong way towards victims, but I don't remember a time when someone from the Church went on the airwaves and called a victim a liar and that has happened with me in the past week... Swop the crozier for a gun and you have a very different situation. Not only do you have the weight of a political party coming down on you but you have the threat of an armed organisation which may well have decommissioned; but it hasn't decommissioned the fear surrounding those victims.”
Pages 304-305: After that, I went for a short walk and picked up the papers.
The Irish Times excoriated Sinn Féin in its editorial:
What we know now [...] of the way the brave and utterly plausible Máiría Cahill was treated by the IRA following her rape and abuse by one of its members has uncanny echoes of the church's response to abuse. The methodology, the denial, the internal secret inquiries, the arrogance of those who did not believe that the law should apply to them. And then the pleading of ignorance - Gerry Adams in his blog yesterday insisting that these actions were of their time and reflected not only a community at war but also an attitude within Ireland which did not then understand or know as we do now, how deeply embedded abuse is within our society.
Yet this was not the 1950s - by the time in 2000 that Mr Adams met Ms Cahill about the issue, child abuse and responses to it were widely discussed. His regret that the IRA on occasion shot alleged sex offenders or expelled them, is mealy-mouthed. While this may have been expedient at the time it was not appropriate ... Not appropriate. Not to mention brutal, illegal, and immoral [...]. Mr Adams's claim that there was absolutely no cover up by Sinn Féin at any level' is worthy of the most cynical bishop. It appears to be based on the fact that the IRA came to accept that she had been abused.
But its response was not to assist in bringing the culprit to some external forum of justice, or to counsel and assist the victim, but to offer to shoot him. That way the organisation wouldn't have to face the opprobrium of guilt by public association or suggestions of tacit complicity. No cover up? [...] being willing to ask tough questions of your own leader, demonstrating that you are not just dupes of the Sinn Féin machine, may be as important in making the party a credible force for government as any airbrushing of a paramilitary past.”
Page 310: “The Irish Times colour writer Miriam Lord skewered Sinn Féin in two sentences: 'What do Gerry Adams and the pope have in common? To their true believers, they are infallible.”
Page 358: “I...] it is clear that in the case of Máiría Cahill, Sinn Féin and the IRA put the institution first. The allure of power and influence was just too much. They covered up the abuse and moved the perpetrators around in order that the untouchables would remain untouchable. It did not matter what terror they might cause or what damage they might do in these unlucky and unsuspecting communities. But who cared about victims once the institution, the organisation, in all its power and all its glory remained intact? It was a kind of unholy collusion.
I refer to republicans who thought so much of this Republic that they would honour us with their rapists and gift us their child abusers [...]. Down here, you buried the dangerous living along with the discarded dead.”
Page 85: “Belfast was a harsh place, and most of the republican women I knew were no exception to the hard rule. Any semblance of a gentler femininity was lost as the women of the republican movement tried to be coarser, ballsier and tougher than their male counterparts. There were exceptions, but they were few and far between. Some of this was due to living in rough inner-city areas, some of it to a romanticised notion of everyone having to be self-sacrificing (families included) in the struggle to free Ireland. But most of it was derived from having to prove themselves in a patriarchal army structure where women were publicly espoused as the 'backbone' of the movement, yet privately treated as commodities and domestic servants. They were useful for gathering information, for dealing with the finer details, or for making up the numbers on active service units so as not to arouse the suspicion of the police or British army. They Farey held leadership positions within the structure.”
Page 141:”'Don't be saying anything,' she said, alarmed that I might start talking - the IRA obsession with silence and keeping it in 'the family' overruled all other considerations”
Page 232: “'From information that we have picked up, and we have talked to other people, this may have been a broader trend within the republican movement, he said, continuing: Just like the church, the republican movement says the institution of the republican movement is more important than individual victims.”
Page 247: “As I got to know him better, he was kind and scrupulous in his recall of detail. I had no doubt he was telling the truth, but what he told me shocked me to my core.
He reeled off names and incidents in which the IRA had known about suspected pedophiles and had simply moved them on, mimicking the worst behaviour of the Catholic Church. In some cases, the perpetrators were dead. In others, they were very much alive. He told me about a senior IRA man suspected of abuse who had further access to other children. In another case, an IRA man was moved to the south of Ireland after abusing a young child. He was again accused of abuse in a safe house in Dublin. Another man, a senior figure in the movement, had been given help to flee the country and had set up home somewhere in America. Some of the people mentioned were household names.”
Page 302: “I picked up a copy of my interview the previous day with Brian Campbell of the Irish News, after the Robinson meeting, and I was glad that I had evoked the image of the Catholic church to illustrate how I felt the republican movement had dealt with abuse:
The Catholic church behaved in the wrong way towards victims, but I don't remember a time when someone from the Church went on the airwaves and called a victim a liar and that has happened with me in the past week... Swop the crozier for a gun and you have a very different situation. Not only do you have the weight of a political party coming down on you but you have the threat of an armed organisation which may well have decommissioned; but it hasn't decommissioned the fear surrounding those victims.”
Pages 304-305: After that, I went for a short walk and picked up the papers.
The Irish Times excoriated Sinn Féin in its editorial:
What we know now [...] of the way the brave and utterly plausible Máiría Cahill was treated by the IRA following her rape and abuse by one of its members has uncanny echoes of the church's response to abuse. The methodology, the denial, the internal secret inquiries, the arrogance of those who did not believe that the law should apply to them. And then the pleading of ignorance - Gerry Adams in his blog yesterday insisting that these actions were of their time and reflected not only a community at war but also an attitude within Ireland which did not then understand or know as we do now, how deeply embedded abuse is within our society.
Yet this was not the 1950s - by the time in 2000 that Mr Adams met Ms Cahill about the issue, child abuse and responses to it were widely discussed. His regret that the IRA on occasion shot alleged sex offenders or expelled them, is mealy-mouthed. While this may have been expedient at the time it was not appropriate ... Not appropriate. Not to mention brutal, illegal, and immoral [...]. Mr Adams's claim that there was absolutely no cover up by Sinn Féin at any level' is worthy of the most cynical bishop. It appears to be based on the fact that the IRA came to accept that she had been abused.
But its response was not to assist in bringing the culprit to some external forum of justice, or to counsel and assist the victim, but to offer to shoot him. That way the organisation wouldn't have to face the opprobrium of guilt by public association or suggestions of tacit complicity. No cover up? [...] being willing to ask tough questions of your own leader, demonstrating that you are not just dupes of the Sinn Féin machine, may be as important in making the party a credible force for government as any airbrushing of a paramilitary past.”
Page 310: “The Irish Times colour writer Miriam Lord skewered Sinn Féin in two sentences: 'What do Gerry Adams and the pope have in common? To their true believers, they are infallible.”
Page 358: “I...] it is clear that in the case of Máiría Cahill, Sinn Féin and the IRA put the institution first. The allure of power and influence was just too much. They covered up the abuse and moved the perpetrators around in order that the untouchables would remain untouchable. It did not matter what terror they might cause or what damage they might do in these unlucky and unsuspecting communities. But who cared about victims once the institution, the organisation, in all its power and all its glory remained intact? It was a kind of unholy collusion.
I refer to republicans who thought so much of this Republic that they would honour us with their rapists and gift us their child abusers [...]. Down here, you buried the dangerous living along with the discarded dead.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2025
Shocking but tells a story about bravery when taking on the thugs in the Republican movement
I just finished this book today- got it 2 days ago and I couldn’t put it down. What Maria Cahill has been put through is beyond wrong. She deserves much more than an apology from Sinn Fein. The Republican movement did all they could to discredit her and they have failed. It’s so disappointing that still there are SF supporters who suffer from Stockholm syndrome. This is a must read for anyone who wants to see bravery in action.
I just finished this book today- got it 2 days ago and I couldn’t put it down. What Maria Cahill has been put through is beyond wrong. She deserves much more than an apology from Sinn Fein. The Republican movement did all they could to discredit her and they have failed. It’s so disappointing that still there are SF supporters who suffer from Stockholm syndrome. This is a must read for anyone who wants to see bravery in action.
May 4, 2025
Bought this book while on holiday in Belfast knowing the bare minimum about the IRA and nothing about Cahill’s story and holy shit. A very very powerful book that was difficult to read at times due to the subject matter and the constant hate and abuse she constantly faced. Yet her strength and resilience persisted. Truly no idea how she had the power and will to do any of it — an inspiration. A dense and emotional read. Really recommend to other Americans who know so little about it
January 13, 2025
A powerful and moving story... Máiría's writing is raw and honest which leaves a lasting impact.
December 30, 2025
Really devastating. Confirmed all my fears but also empowered me with the knowledge to speak on the topic.
December 29, 2023
A very complicated story and I have mixed emotions and feelings on this book. I will however, as always, write my honest feelings about it and my thoughts towards it. This is a raw account of a horrific crime that was perpetrated by a sick individual at a highly politicised time in regards of the Peace Process. There is a lot going on in the book and it is one that I couldnt put down. The Author and I would be roughly the same age and through the old Irish rule of six degrees of seperation I would know a lot of the names in the book. Not on a personal level but through work and through friends. Through the story of Tom William's, one of Belfast's most famous son's I became aware of Joe Cahill and his republican pedigree so when the surname is mentioned you automatically think Irish Republican Army. Meaning at the time this all came to light I was aware of the significance of all this and my personal opinion was and still is that MM should have been dealt with comprehensively in an old school way. Some people wont agree with that but in the end he got away with this and the other crimes untouched and scot free. Infact the last part of the book rarely was he mentioned it moved from being more of a horrible story of abuse to being that of a highly politicised battle between SF and other political parties across the Island. I think it was used as a political football by various organisations and parties and I think the police acted atrociously towards the victim. The abuse case became secondary to the membership case and in the politically charged theatre of that time it sadly would always have been that way. The RUC would have always went after "the Army". The part of the book that I dont agree with is the scorched earth policy in different places that refers to now some dead volunteers as thugs's alongside various other derogatory names. Outsiders or those not brought up throughout the troubles or subsequent peace process could maybe read at first glance these statements as fact but not give a second thought to either the context, generational trauma or societal conditions behind many of the actions that played out prior to the purpose of this book. I also strongly believe in not naming volunteers or even members of the republican family unless it is there wish to tell their story. Politicians such as PaisleyJunior or Gregory Campbell continue to do so under the safety blanket of Parlimentary priviledge when they know they are protected. They wont outside the chambers. Now please dont think this mean sexual predators within the ranks, which I am sure there was, should not be named. They should have been dealt with accordingly as I said previous. Which brings me onto the English journalists surrilous message about Joe Cahill and peadophilia. I wish this was not included in the book, it is without foundation, as the author does take time to mention but now when I think of Joe Cahill this automatically comes to my mind. Which is wrong! It could have been ommitted from publication.
To summarise, it is a tragic tragic story about a mishandled case of one of the worst crimes committed on woman that became so politicised and so politically convenient for some parties to jump upon and other parties to deny that in the end i feel that both the victim and the accused only became part of the story and not the story. I hope that the victim finds some closure in this book and well MM, the perpetrator, well I hope he rots in hell.
These are my thoughts and mine alone.
To summarise, it is a tragic tragic story about a mishandled case of one of the worst crimes committed on woman that became so politicised and so politically convenient for some parties to jump upon and other parties to deny that in the end i feel that both the victim and the accused only became part of the story and not the story. I hope that the victim finds some closure in this book and well MM, the perpetrator, well I hope he rots in hell.
These are my thoughts and mine alone.
September 5, 2024
I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know much about this story and only in reading Shane Ross’s character annihilation of Mary-Lou MacDonald last year, where it was so heavily highlighted (and rightly so) did I pick up on it. When I spotted this in the audible monthly deals I decided I should better educate myself.
I have read a lot of books about cults, sects, religious extremism, but I wasnt expecting to get that same tone, tensity or mere Stockholm syndrome when I started reading this book. Coming from Republican royalty, (words she hates to hear) in west Belfast, an IRA stronghold, the unthinkable happened to her. Her aunt’s boyfriend, then husband (a member of Sinn Fein) raped and abused her countless times from the age of 16. In this raw account she talks about how he normalised it by demanding her to make him coffee afterwards, how she was her aunt’s bridesmaid in their wedding, because it would have looked weird if she wasn’t and how she repeated to return to this of house of horrors hoping it would mean that she was the only one abused and no one else would have to bare the brunt.
But this didn’t happen, two other family members were abused. When she finally confessed to someone, the IRA took over by stalling, covering up and somehow losing the suspect while he was on house arrest.
Mairia discusses how she grew up under an alternative justice system, how she somehow continued to work in the organisation that retraumitised her through incessant questioning and even put her in the same room with her abuser. She honestly believed that Sinn Fein were omnipresent and it was only when she was pregnant with her daughter she was able to take back ownership, break free and finally fight for justice, in the hope that no one else would have to suffer the same abuses.
It was a tough read/listen at times but definitely recommend
I have read a lot of books about cults, sects, religious extremism, but I wasnt expecting to get that same tone, tensity or mere Stockholm syndrome when I started reading this book. Coming from Republican royalty, (words she hates to hear) in west Belfast, an IRA stronghold, the unthinkable happened to her. Her aunt’s boyfriend, then husband (a member of Sinn Fein) raped and abused her countless times from the age of 16. In this raw account she talks about how he normalised it by demanding her to make him coffee afterwards, how she was her aunt’s bridesmaid in their wedding, because it would have looked weird if she wasn’t and how she repeated to return to this of house of horrors hoping it would mean that she was the only one abused and no one else would have to bare the brunt.
But this didn’t happen, two other family members were abused. When she finally confessed to someone, the IRA took over by stalling, covering up and somehow losing the suspect while he was on house arrest.
Mairia discusses how she grew up under an alternative justice system, how she somehow continued to work in the organisation that retraumitised her through incessant questioning and even put her in the same room with her abuser. She honestly believed that Sinn Fein were omnipresent and it was only when she was pregnant with her daughter she was able to take back ownership, break free and finally fight for justice, in the hope that no one else would have to suffer the same abuses.
It was a tough read/listen at times but definitely recommend
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2024
Not at all often I give a 5 star review but this is worth every single one. An autobiographical book by Mairia Cahill telling the story of the abuse she suffered at the hands of an IRA man, the partner of her aunt as a young teenager. This was only the beginning, what has happened over the following 25 years is shocking, harrowing and brutal. Mairia had to suffer the terrifying and downright atrocious kangaroo court meted out by SF/IRA members, something which to this day is denied right from the highest echelons of Sinn Fein. Mairia made the brave decision to go to the police, something practically unheard of in the Republican areas of Belfast in which the events take place. Unfortunately the court case fell through due to grave errors by the PPS, something which Mairia received an apology for in later years. Afterwards she made an even braver decision - she waived her anonymity and went public with what happened. In the years since her case attracted furore in the Dail, Stormont and Westminster with massive media coverage. Through it all Mairia has conducted herself with courage, taking on the top of Sinn Fein notably Adams and McDonald. Today Mairia is a voice for other victims of abuse at the hands of SF/IRA members and holds power to account. This is the story of a remarkable brave and inspirational lady.
October 27, 2023
How did I fall so far behind. I'm going to try to add all the books I haven't added in the past few months. My excuse? I've now got a radio interview show, Hoot and Holler (WESU - 88.1FM, wesufm.org) twice a month.
This is a shattering account of one woman's battle with the forces of a renegade army. Cahill, who was raised in a Republican family, was sexually abused by an IRA member beginning at the age of 16. When she reported it to IRA leaders, they conducted their own "investigation" which protected the IRA member and victimized the victim.
It's a harrowing tale of horror, betrayal, misguide politics and finally resilience. It's as difficult to read what she had to go through as it is to believe an organization seeking freedom would conduct itself in this way.
For readers outside Ireland, like me, following the ins and outs of factions and Irish law is challenging but not impossible. It's pretty clear who the villains are, and Cahill is an accomplished and convincing author of her own story.
This is a shattering account of one woman's battle with the forces of a renegade army. Cahill, who was raised in a Republican family, was sexually abused by an IRA member beginning at the age of 16. When she reported it to IRA leaders, they conducted their own "investigation" which protected the IRA member and victimized the victim.
It's a harrowing tale of horror, betrayal, misguide politics and finally resilience. It's as difficult to read what she had to go through as it is to believe an organization seeking freedom would conduct itself in this way.
For readers outside Ireland, like me, following the ins and outs of factions and Irish law is challenging but not impossible. It's pretty clear who the villains are, and Cahill is an accomplished and convincing author of her own story.
December 11, 2025
Tough to rate this one. The first half was great, but it became confusing and tedious in the middle when the author writes about the trial that took place after her abuse. There are just so many law enforcement officers, politicians and prosecutorial details that someone who isn’t from Ireland or the UK wouldn’t be familiar with. I thought it picked up again when she narrated how badly Sinn Fein treated her, as well as the online abuse she received after waiving her anonymity. Her account of living through a media storm, fighting exhaustion and health issues to continue speaking out, was especially harrowing.
Ultimately I’m going with 4 stars because I’m in awe of the author’s bravery and this is an important story about an injustice that still hasn’t been rectified. Her passion and grit shine through on every page, and Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald have a lot to answer for, to Máiría Cahill and so many others.
Ultimately I’m going with 4 stars because I’m in awe of the author’s bravery and this is an important story about an injustice that still hasn’t been rectified. Her passion and grit shine through on every page, and Gerry Adams and Mary Lou McDonald have a lot to answer for, to Máiría Cahill and so many others.
January 29, 2025
Part one is one of the most powerful pieces of writing ive read and i couldnt put it down.
I also thought part two was excellent but definitely struggled more with it due to the amount of direct quotes and Máiría's commitment to getting across every detail as accurately as possible rather than telling the story in the most compelling way.
Although I would have referred to keep the same format in both parts and got more retellings of the events and less direct quotes in the second part; I was still gripped throughout and got a lot out of this.
I also thought part two was excellent but definitely struggled more with it due to the amount of direct quotes and Máiría's commitment to getting across every detail as accurately as possible rather than telling the story in the most compelling way.
Although I would have referred to keep the same format in both parts and got more retellings of the events and less direct quotes in the second part; I was still gripped throughout and got a lot out of this.
September 1, 2025
I bought this book on the strength of some very strong reviews. I don't regret it. It's an absorbing read and a real David v Goliath tale of the power of the underdog.
Máiría is an inspiration and her tenacity in her fight for justice illustrates how powerful the truth is against the political giant that Sinn Féin has become. When put up against the unwavering truth, their half truths, half apologies, obfuscations and cynical attempts to discredit Máiría become more glaring.
Máiría's courage is astonishing considering she is put through the harrowing ordeal of multiple rapes and sexual assaults over such a prolonged period of time by a prominent member of the IRA. If this wasn't bad enough intimidation and further re- traumatisation by the organisation's insistence that she be put in the same room to face face her tormentor.
The book is a must read. it is very well written and forensic in it's analysis of all the events immediately after the assaults and in the years following.
Máiría is an inspiration and her tenacity in her fight for justice illustrates how powerful the truth is against the political giant that Sinn Féin has become. When put up against the unwavering truth, their half truths, half apologies, obfuscations and cynical attempts to discredit Máiría become more glaring.
Máiría's courage is astonishing considering she is put through the harrowing ordeal of multiple rapes and sexual assaults over such a prolonged period of time by a prominent member of the IRA. If this wasn't bad enough intimidation and further re- traumatisation by the organisation's insistence that she be put in the same room to face face her tormentor.
The book is a must read. it is very well written and forensic in it's analysis of all the events immediately after the assaults and in the years following.
January 12, 2024
This book started off really well and was really gripping. The first half of the book was a real page turner going through an awful true story whereas the second half just became a bit tedious. It felt like the same material was being covered over and over again. It felt like the book needed to be edited down.
It is a harrowing tale though and well written. Just wish the book was shortened down as it feels like one of those books that outstays its welcome.
It is a harrowing tale though and well written. Just wish the book was shortened down as it feels like one of those books that outstays its welcome.
April 16, 2024
I found this entire story sad.
Cahill is a victim of awful circumstances and was in a horrendous position from which there was no way to overcome it.
She is very bitter about it, and this comes through in her writing.
However, she is completely justified in this feeling and I hope these days it can never be replicated.
Cahill is a victim of awful circumstances and was in a horrendous position from which there was no way to overcome it.
She is very bitter about it, and this comes through in her writing.
However, she is completely justified in this feeling and I hope these days it can never be replicated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2024
Should be compulsory reading for anyone tempted to vote for IRA Sinn Feinn. These people don't tolerate dissent or criticism. A country led by IRA Sinn Feinn would be a totalitarian state similar to North Korea or Putin's Russia. Maria Cahill is a brave lady and totally credible.
July 26, 2025
Audiobook on Spotify 🎧
I think if I'd tried to physically read this I would have struggled to follow it and would have lost interest but the author/narrator was very engaging which made it an interesting listen.
I think if I'd tried to physically read this I would have struggled to follow it and would have lost interest but the author/narrator was very engaging which made it an interesting listen.
August 16, 2025
This is a very clear description of a harrowing time for this amazing lady who had the stamina to follow her integrity and determination to highlight the shocking abuse of power and lack of care for vulnerable young people and adults in the North.She is awesome.
June 5, 2024
Much like the author’s ordeal… at times it felt like it would never end.
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