The Informer

by Sean O'Callaghan

In 1988 IRA terrorist Sean O'Callaghan walked into a Tunbridge Wells police station and gave himself up. Two years later, in a Belfast courtroom, he pleaded guilty to all charges of which he was accused and received a sentence of 539 years. Since being a teenager he had been an active member of the IRA and had risen to be the head of their Southern Command. He was responsible for two murders and many terrorist attacks. He was a linchpin of the organization.But in 1996, he was released from prison by royal prerogative. For fourteen years he had been the most highly placed informer within the IRA and had fed the Irish Garda with countless pieces of invaluable information. He prevented the assassination of the Prince and Princess of Wales at a London theatre, he sabotaged operations, explained strategy and caused the arrests of many IRA members. He has done more than any individual to unlock the code of silence that governs the IRA's members, and has in effect made it possible to fight the war against the terrorists. Under constant threat of IRA revenge, he now works ceaselessly for peace in Ireland. As he says, 'I hope to use the time available to me now to tell the truth about the IRA. I will go on doing that for as long as it takes.The Informer is Sean O'Callaghan's story. It is the story of a courageous life lived under the constant threat of discovery and its fatal consequences. It is the story of a very modern hero, who is not without sin but who has done and is continuing to do everything in his power, and at whatever personal cost, to atone for the past.

Genres: History, Ireland, Biography, Irish Literature, True Crime, Nonfiction, Autobiography

464 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Montse Terés · Rating 2 out of 5]

It became more and more difficult to understand or empathise with the author's decisions and reflections as I made progress with the reading.
There is some interesting information in the book about the IRA and the situation in Northern Ireland, but, as I said, I found the writer's stories confusing and too aimed at justifying himself. And yet, I couldn't help but find his explanations unclear and unsatisfactory. Disappointing.

[Francis Murray · Rating 1 out of 5]

Long-winded, self-aggrandizing and dry. I'm sure his real life activities warrant an account, but this version needs an editor.

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

Regardless of what your opinion of Sean O'Callaghan is, the book provides a good overview of the IRA as well as the attitude of the Irish and British security forces opposed to it. A worthwhile read if somewhat redundant at times.

[Citesc · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the books that could be amazing, but it turns out the opposite; i find it very very uneventful, so many me's, mine's, i's... I'd say perhaps the book with the most I-me-i-me-me-me... there is no literary value to it, even though he said he liked poetry! it could be amazing...

[Nancy Bussey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth reading, well written and informative.

[Paul Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Born into a republican family within Kerry's I.R.A network, The author's institutionalized movement through a closed religious one nation society, Surprised least of all himself. Disillusioned ,bitter and searching for meaning, The decision is made to commit the ultimate of sinn, Informer. From that moment the fascinatingly secretive curtain of tense faction and suspicion never closes. In a world of paranoia your only source in the "Official" story, Is the officially discredited and celebrated. Informer.

[Jordan Phizacklea-Cullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently not always the most reliable account, this is nevertheless a very readable explanation of how an impressionable young man got entranced by self-styled 'freedom-fighting patriots', sucked into paramilitary murder leading to disillusionment and then worked to dismantle terrorist plots from within. Some important contemporaneous reflections on the then-emerging Peace Process from a lapsed republican perspective.

[Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

Complex and convoluted, is Sean O'Callaghan a hero or a criminal? It's hard to follow his reasonings and justifications. It almost reads as a disclaimer.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

A tale of self aggrandisement from a particularly loathsome individual. Very difficult to tell fact from fiction.

[Kwezi Tabaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring!

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long and dry. I feel if it had been concise, it would have been more meaningful.

[Andy Pandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

People seem to want this to have been more exciting than it was. Go to Patriot Games if you want a tale spun. What he truly did and didn't do is lost now for all time, but a very interesting book.

[Sean O Driscoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the IRA and its mindset. Its very detailed and very honest - to the point of utter confusion three quarters of the way through because his thoughts were so confused.
His description of how the IRA operates and insights into some of its key figures - Gerry Adams, Brian Keenan, Martin Ferris, Kevin McKenna, it extremely interesting, as is his gradual disillusionment and the complexity of his double life, in which he has to not only stop many IRA operations, but also has to have a plausible alternative explanation for how it was twarted. I was really gripped by some passages - the killing of the Catholic Special Branch man and being blessed by a priest at the parochial house for doing so, the mortar bomb attack and his regrets afterwards, his tears after Kevin McKenna's appalling comments about a woman being killed.
Rarely has a book gripped me this much and I really couldn't put it down for the first three quarters of the story.
I find the confused passages about the Sean Corcoran killing plausible - he was in a very confused state at the time. The book really starts to lose me when he is released from prison after eight years - where is his partner, who begged him not to give himself up? How is their child? Where is his ex-wife and her baby? What do they think of what he did? It is never answered, instead we get a speaking tour and the Slab Murphy libel trial (fascinating) but so many questions left unresolved. Then he tags on some of his writings - some of which are word for word repeats of passages in the book, instead of addressing the emotional heart of the story. A very important book, very well written but its dry musings on the peace process towards the end could have been replaced with personal narrative.

[John Lynch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Had to believe somebody that would turn on his own people and work for the British government who raped his country for 800 years

[Kate Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chilling, brilliant, and a bit of insight into a world of violence and terror close to home, that I hope won't be seen again. There's more than enough going on elsewhere!