The Next One Is for You: A True Story of Guns, Country, and the IRA's Secret American Army

by Ali Watkins

From New York Times reporter and Pulitzer finalist Ali Watkins, the long-buried story of how a group of Philadelphia gunrunners armed the IRA at the height of the Troubles—a true-crime saga that illuminates Irish America’s central role in the conflict and its legacy.

Northern Ireland, 1975. Violence has erupted on the streets of Belfast. After years as a sleepy, guerilla army, the IRA is clashing with Loyalist gangs and heavily armed British soldiers. But the Troubles have spilled beyond the small An ocean away, in the heart of Philadelphia’s Irish enclave, a teenage girl finds a letter in her mailbox. Inside is a bullet, and the message is The next one is for you or your family.

As celebrated New York Times reporter Ali Watkins reveals in this exquisitely reported nonfiction thriller, the conflict in Northern Ireland might have gone very differently had it not been for a small, ragtag band of carpenters, family men, and fugitives in the United States. The Philadelphia Five, as they came to be known, supplied the Irish Republican Army at its moment of greatest need, bolstering the fight for a united Ireland but fueling the Troubles at an untold cost. This small group of Irish nationalists smuggled hundreds of rifles, rocket launchers, explosives, and armor-piercing bullets across the Atlantic Ocean and into Northern Ireland. Whether they were skimming money from innocuous-seeming charities, coolly slipping weapons into hidden compartments of vans and houses, or scouring local graveyards for the names of dead Irishmen to use on federal firearm forms, the gunrunners approached their mission—to unite Ireland under one flag, by any means necessary—with ruthless poise, even as European and American investigators closed in, members of their own movement began to turn on them, and bodies stacked up on all sides.

A gripping tale of crime, rebellion, and the hazy line between them, The Next One Is for You is the definitive account of America’s hand in the Troubles—a conflict whose resonance is still felt today, in the United States and Ireland alike.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ireland, True Crime, Audiobook, Politics, American History

Audible Audio

First published March 11, 2025

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a strange feeling I get whenever I read a book on the Troubles of Northern Ireland. I have still not traveled to the motherland (shame on me), but I grew up steeped in Irish culture around quite a few Irish people fresh off the boat like my grandparents. I've always been proud to be descended from people who have had to overcome quite a bit, to put it mildly. At the same time, I am grew up a middle class American and the Troubles often felt like something I didn't deserve to have an opinion on. All of this is to say, I did not go into Ali Watkins' book, The Next One is for You completely free of bias and complicated feelings. Based on Watkins' epilogue, I might hazard to say she felt the same way.

Watkins tells the story of the Philadelphia Five. These were men who were funneling weapons to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) otherwise known as the Provos. If you think the word "Provisional" seems weird and wonder why I didn't just say "IRA" then buckle up because the Troubles cannot be explained easily. In fact, I would venture to say anyone new to this subject will read this book and think Watkins could have simplified things. I can assure you that this is probably one of the more simplified stories of the Troubles. (Good luck trying to jump into a story of the Irish Civil War cold.)

Watkins digs into how the Philadelphia Five used an organization called the Irish Northern Aid Committee or NORAID as a front to purchase and ship the weapons to Northern Ireland for the Provos. (Fun fact: NORAID's current headquarters are in my hometown of Pearl River, NY. I told you I grew up around a hell of a lot of Irish people.) Watkins mainly tries to keep the overall story readable while explaining what is happening in the U.S. and Northern Ireland while explaining the rise of Sinn Féin. Yes, that is another organization born out of the IRA and yes, I told you it is really hard to explain all of this in a short review.

Ok, now I just explained the absolute basics. To try and wrap this thing up, I think Watkins does a great job looking at the interplay between American supporters of the Provos and how the guns made their way across the Atlantic. There are numerous side stories like a Catholic priest who administers to the political prisoners or an IRA member who has a VERY bad first night with a weapon. Watkins prose is easy to read and the various narratives feed into each other. I highly recommend it.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company.)

[KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty fascinating. I definitely still need to do more reading on The Troubles, but The Next One Is for You is a nice bit of insight. It focuses on the Irish-American community (largely consisting of men who had emigrated from Northern Ireland, some them being IRA) buying American ArmaLite rifles to send to Northern Ireland to arm the Provos. It also deals with the difficulties of the American and British governments in trying to build cases against these men for prosecution in aiding a war.

Ali Watkins thankfully provides some historical context before bringing us into the 1970s, where the book is mostly focused. She also introduces us to the Philadelphia Irish(-American) community, and how they kept ties back to Northern Ireland, sending money and goods - and eventually rifles and ammunition - through IRA-related groups masked as aid organizations, such as NORAID (the Irish Northern Aid Committee).

The book flows very nicely and reads pretty quickly. It never feels information-heavy and could almost read like a novel at times. We're introduced to enough people to prevent the story from being too abstract, but not so many people that it becomes overwhelming or confusing. We also flip back and forth between the US and Northern Ireland, but this, too, is never confusing and shows the reality of the situation abroad that the Philadelphia men were physically removed from.

The legal part of the story is really just as interesting as the gun smuggling. There were so many complications of sharing information between countries, and finding the right type of evidence to try the men. Also, as Watkins notes: "Who is to blame, after all, for the pulling of a trigger that's an ocean away? The person holding the gun, or the person who sent it there in the first place?" Of course, these men did not see it that way. To them there was an obvious and desperate reason why Northern Ireland's Catholics needed to be armed.

Really, really enjoyed The Next One Is for You.

[Brian Shevory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Ali Watkins exciting and surprising book detailing American involvement in the Troubles of Northern Ireland The Next One Is for you: A True Story of Guns, Country, and the IRA’s Secret American Army. Fellow Temple Alum Ali Watkins has written a fascinating, yet hidden history of the Philly connection to the IRA. What’s even more incredible about this book is how she is able to provide context and background to the complex and complicated political and social violence that besieged Northern Ireland from the 1960s up until the end of the 20th century. With the recent Hulu series based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s excellent book Say Nothing, there seems to be a resurgence in the interest in the Troubles. While Radden Keefe’s book looks at a specific incident and the fallout from the philosophy of “say nothing”, Watkins’ book examines how American support intertwined with the dual nature of the Provisional IRA and the political art, or Sinn Fein. Watkins’ book examines how support from the Irish diaspora, specifically in Philadelphia, ended up arming and continuing the violence in Northern Ireland. I especially loved her epilogue, when she explains how she aimed to find out how one gun travelled from Philadelphia to Northern Ireland, and the lives it changed as a result. While she wasn’t able to interview some of those affected by the gun violence in Northern Ireland, her journalistic investigation and dogged research to excavate this hidden history helped to shed light into how so many American guns ended up in Northern Ireland.
In addition to being able to effectively explain the different factions in the IRA and the political and social (or maybe cultural) nature of the occupation of Northern Ireland began, Watkins also captures a vivid picture of 1970s Philadelphia and its suburbs, presenting where the gun running first occurred and how the Irish community in and around Philadelphia used a charitable aid organization as a front to ship guns over to Norther Ireland. As a lifelong Philadelphia resident whose own Irish ancestors immigrated to South Philly in the early 20th century, I was amazed that I didn’t know more about this story. Although my family hails from Letterkenny in Co. Donnegal, not too far from Derry on the border, I’m guessing my relatives weren’t really involved. My great-grandmother was, from my understanding, fleeing a situation where she was responsible for taking care of a lot of her younger siblings. I don’t know too much about her brothers, but it was fascinating to learn how the Irish community in Philly largely kept the mantra of “say nothing”, while facilitating large shipments of arms meant to inflict violence and harm on a colonizing country. I was amazed at how these regular, blue-collar immigrants, many of them contractors and roofers, were able to purchase massive amounts of weapons and ship them overseas for many years without any kind of attention from the feds. Watkins’ reporting and analysis helps to show not only how much of a different time it was, but also how their charitable organizations and social clubs served as a front for collecting money and shipping out weapons. In addition, Watkins also contextualizes the socio and political nature of England’s occupation of Northern Ireland, exploring how many Irish in America felt strongly about the British presence in Norther Ireland, and as a result, politicians were not as willing to pursue investigations into a cause that might sour a large voting block. It was interesting to think about with political violence in other occupied areas, and how the situations differ. While Watkins wasn’t making any comparisons in her book, it’s hard not to think about other current regions and how politicians still struggle (or maybe don’t) with supporting people challenging colonialism and occupation.
Watkins’ writing also brought to life many of the main players in this hidden arms-smuggling venture. Learning about Vince Conlon and Daniel Cahalane, and their NORAID organization, was fascinating. Her research and interviews with family members brought these figures to life, and readers get a good sense of what they were like as men. It was also great to see that she and her publisher included images and photos of these individuals within the book. I loved being able to get a sense of who they were, as well as seeing some of the older photos of Philly from the 1970s. Watkins reporting also ventures to Northern Ireland, specifically retelling the story of Geraldine Crawford, a young girl whose life is changed by her involvement with the IRA. Interestingly, her life intersects with the Price sisters, whose story was told by Radden Keefe’s book (and the Hulu series on which it was based). These were some of the most intriguing chapters within Watkins’ book, since it provided an insight into life in Norther Ireland at the time, but they also gave us an insight into the implications of the gun smuggling and how it affected the lives of both the Irish Catholics and the British Protestants during this violent time in Northern Ireland.
The latter chapters of the book detail the legal cases that were eventually brought against the Irish American men responsible for sending guns to Northern Ireland. The case is fascinating for the vast extent of weapons shipped overseas as well as how long it occurred, but also because of how unsuccessful the case was. Despite winning some convictions, the prosecutors were unable to prove without reasonable doubt that the guns used in Northern Ireland were directly tied to the American aid organizations like NORAID. Watkins’ research into the cases uncovered a fascinating, but forgotten story of politics, guns, and violence. In these later chapters, we also learn the fate of the Irish American men who helped to arm the IRA, as well as how a delicate peace was eventually navigated and achieved in Northern Ireland in the late 1990s. I actually remember both before and after the peace, and visited Northern Ireland in 1999, shortly after the Good Friday accords, so it was really interesting to read this section as well. Reading about how peace was eventually achieved raised many questions for me about the nature of violence in Northern Ireland and around the world. There were some factions of the IRA that broke away from peace talks and still wanted to pursue violence as a means to an end. Most of the men involved in the American gun shipments didn’t live to see the peace, but I wondered what their reaction would be. Would they have sided with Gerry Adams and accepted a seat at the table? This was a wonderfully exciting and engaging book that I couldn’t put down. The short chapters were filled with details, and Watkins stye, balancing carefully researched facts with narrative reconstructions of the events and those involved in this secret gun-smuggling campaign kept me reading through to find out what would happen next. This was a fascinating book that not only excavated a hidden history of American involvement in a foreign war against colonialism, but also provided insightful context and background to further understand the complexities of the fraught social and political violence that has plagued Northern Ireland (and the rest of Ireland) for over 400 years. My only suggestion would be to include some kind of organization chart or a list of individuals involved. There were a lot of different people involved in both the shipping of arms and the investigation into the arms smuggling, and sometimes I found myself having to go back and check out who was involved in which way. This kind of list would help to see who was involved in which way. Highly recommended book.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philadelphia has been a landing place for the Irish diaspora, welcoming the Irish during times of political and economic turmoil and is home to generations of proud Irish Americans.

In the 1970s, when the ordinary Catholics in Northern Ireland, inspired by our own civil rights movement, demands to end to their second class citizenship that left them powerless and poor, were met by the combined deadly forces of the Ulster constabulary, armed Protestant civilians, and the British army. This violence revived the largely dormant Irish Republican Army that was formed by Irish nationalists who mounted an underground and illegal rebellion to unite Ireland after the Irish Civil War when the country was divided into two nations a largely Catholic Republic free from British rule and Northern Ireland which was largely Protestant and part of the British Commonwealth . The IRA, which had followers among the Irish diaspora in America, organized to provide support for the Catholics who were under attack. While America's Irish raied money on behalf of the Catholic families in Northern Ireland. Ordinary, successful working class men from Philadelphia's Irish community were, for a period of time, successful gunrunners for the IRA.

Author Ali Watkins, the great-granddaughter of an Irishman with roots in the IRA who fled to Philadelphia ,did not know this story. The story of the gunrunners was unknown and difficult to ferret out, but ferret out she does with tenacity and a keen reporter's eye. Her book provides us with an understanding of Irish history and of the men and women on both sides of the ocean who chose to procure and take up the guns for Ireland.

Her book is compelling both as a caper narrative and the story of Geraldine, a young Irish woman who was handed one of the Philadelphia guns on her first mission for the IRA, a foray that left her greviously wounded and sentenced to a woman's prison which housed both the IRA and Protestant militants.

Ireland's story is complicated, and
as always, I am torn between a horror of the violence and the fight for freedom .

The only contemporary note is the comparison between the loss of judicial process the British imposed on
on the Catholics and our current government's tactics.

[Madeline Ostdick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The signature ethos of the troubles—"say nothing"—forged in a culture in which one's greatest enemy could live next door, in such precarious proximity, ensures that there will forever be holes in history: there are just certain things we cannot know about that era, or that prolonged struggle, because of the culture of silence necessary to the protection of an entrenched, fraught rebellion up against impossible odds (the former British Empire, still able to pull the leash of its own former colony in the interests of terrorizing another). So it's understandable that there are holes in Watkins' book, and not a knock against its merits: it tells a compelling story of complicated diaspora solidarity, even with some frustrating ellipses that can't really be helped, given the material, and it's an impressive accomplishment nonetheless. Tiocfaidh ár lá: may we see a free and separate Ireland in our lifetimes!

[Scotty Boombalotti]

DNF but up the RA

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and enjoyable.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly suggesting The Next One is for You to anyone. It’s great to find nonfiction that moves like a novel, and where it is clear that the author is able to tell a story with care for the truth and the subjects involved, which are both found here. If you have Irish American heritage out of Brooklyn or Boston, this is a piece to the puzzle that is interesting and gives further definition to a background that can be difficult to talk about. I didn’t know about this side of the American immigrant involvement out of Philly and it gave me a new perspective.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wild ride from start to finish! Who knew that Philly was such a hotbed for Northern Irish immigration and IRA armed resistance back in the 1970s? Unfortunately, like many other cities in the US, Philly was and is very segregated, plus Irish-Americans aren't known for their friendly relations with Black communities, so being born and raised here didn't expose me to the legacy of this local gunrunning case.

I'm thankful that Ali Watkins wrote The Next One Is For You, knowing that within the IRA and Northern Ireland, people live and die by the motto, "Say nothing." It's a tragedy that a large portion of this historical narrative has already been taken to the grave, so the time and research that she put into this project is so valuable.

[Darren Bourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a while, I come across a book that piques my interest, and it gets added to the vaunted TBR pile. "The Next One is for You" was just such a book. I'll be honest and admit that the basis of my knowledge of "The Troubles" (this is the colloquial term coined for the period of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland between 1968 and 1998 between the overwhelmingly Protestant unionists (loyalists), who desired the province to remain part of the United Kingdom, and the overwhelmingly Roman Catholic nationalists (republicans), who wanted Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland) was from a Reader's Digest article back in the early 1980s.

The author, being of Irish extraction herself and whose forebears had immigrated to the United States, decided to broach this topic by looking at the effect that weapons that were smuggled from the US (concentrating on the Philadelphia area) beginning in the early 1970s played a role in "the Troubles."

The "Troubles" in Northern Ireland were a period of conflict (roughly 1968-1998) stemming from deep-seated religious, political, and ethnic divisions, primarily between Catholic nationalists and Protestant unionists, over Northern Ireland's status and relationship with the United Kingdom.

To continue and escalate its armed campaign, the IRA needed to be better equipped, which meant securing modern small arms. In previous campaigns, weapons had been secured before hostilities commenced via raids on the British Army and even Irish Army weapons depots. In the 1969–1971 period, this was no longer feasible. By 1972, the IRA had large quantities of modern small arms, particularly Armalite rifles, manufactured and purchased in the United States. The AR-18 rifle in particular was found to be particularly well suited for urban guerrilla warfare, as its small size and folding stock made it easy to conceal. Moreover, it was capable of rapid fire and fired a high-velocity round, which provided high stopping power.

Key hotspots for IRA support in the U.S. include Boston, New York, Chicago, and notably, Philadelphia, which had a high concentration of emigrants from Northern Ireland.

The narrative surrounding the Philadelphia Gunrunners (known colloquially as "The Philadelphia Five"—a term referring to a 1975 federal case involving five Philadelphia-area men accused of running guns to the IRA during the most violent period of the Troubles), particularly during the tumultuous period of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, reveals a complex interplay of historical grievances and contemporary activism. Ali Watkins, in her book The Next One Is For You, delves into how a group known as the Philadelphia Five became instrumental in supplying the Irish Republican Army (IRA) with arms, specifically at a time when tensions were escalating dramatically in Northern Ireland.

"The Philadelphia Five" successfully smuggled almost 400 ArmaLite rifles (AR-15s and AR-180s), which significantly changed the nature of the conflict in Northern Ireland, providing modern weaponry to the IRA. During the IRA's gunrunning activities, a group of Irish-American sympathizers in Philadelphia smuggled hundreds of rifles, rocket launchers, explosives, and armor-piercing bullets to Northern Ireland. Specifically, they were linked to 378 rifles and nearly 200 instances of violence in Northern Ireland. The introduction of ArmaLites allowed the IRA to transition from outdated weaponry to more effective arms, altering the dynamics of their conflict with British forces.

The book's chilling title is a quote lifted from a note stuffed in one of the accused gun smuggler's mailbox around the time of their indictment. The anonymous sender had left a loose bullet with it. I feel that the title of the book helps to capture the paranoia on all sides of the conflict, as well as the ominous atmosphere of the story.

Any history of the Troubles, a sectarian conflict that inspires strong feelings to this day, is difficult to synthesize. One examining American involvement is no exception. In this book, the author attempts to draw a direct line from an assault weapon supplied by the "boys from Philly" to a young soldier an ocean away (thus attempting to simplify an incredibly complicated and contentious story).

Ultimately, some 3,600 people were killed and more than 30,000 more were wounded before a peaceful solution, which involved the governments of both the United Kingdom and Ireland, was effectively reached in 1998, leading to a power-sharing arrangement in the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.

On my self-determined five-star scale, I would like to give this book a solid five stars, as it opened my eyes wider concerning tales about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, a period of ethno-nationalist conflict from the late 1960s to 1998, which is often described as an "irregular war" or "low-intensity conflict" stemming from a political and ethnic struggle over the region's status and the fight for equality between Catholic and Protestant communities. I think that this book would be of great interest to those non-fiction readers with a definite interest in history.

As with most of my literary ramblings, this is just my five cents worth.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company or an advance copy of this history that looks at the Troubles in Northern Ireland, by telling an American story about a group of men who supplied the IRA with weapons, their own troubles by doing this, and the legacy these weapons left, both in war, and in peace.

I have red hair, an apostrophe in my name and was born in the Bronx, so nine times out of ten people know that I am of Irish descent. I am a third generation Irish American, who grew up with grandparents who came on boats, my parents both born here, and older and newer immigrants. Every wedding had songs about a united Ireland, every funeral songs about the wearing of the Green, or songs about the Thompson gun, used by the IRA early in the century against the British. And their fellow Irish citizens. I had no idea about the Troubles. It never came up, my parents were from Cork and Galway both in the South, so I don't remember anything but songs that sounded kind of cool. Maybe I first heard about the problems in Northern Ireland watching a 20/20 special on ABC. I remember something. Maybe doing a heritage project for school. As I aged I read more about the old Sod and found that Irish history is a lot of did you hear what he said, and a lot of say nothing. The truth is in the eye of the survivor, and even the survivor might not be sure. As time has passed, and feared figures fade, more about the history of the troubles are coming to light, stories tracked by journalists and families wanting to know more. Wanting to know why a loved one died. Ali Watkins is a dogged reporter of the old school, tracking sources, papers, asking questions following up, and knowing when to walk away. The Next One Is for You: A True Story of Guns, Country, and the IRA’s Secret American Army is a history of the arming of the IRA as seen from America, by a group of men, radicalized by what they heard and saw, who risked their place in the land of opportunity, to arm those fighting in the old country.

The book's genesis was the tracking of one gun, bought in America and used in Northern Ireland for an article. This task proved to be almost Sisyphean as so many guns were sent from America to Ireland by a group of men who did this not for money, but to help their people in the only way they knew how. Watkins first writes of the situation in Northern Ireland explains the problems among the Irish people, those who want British government, the Catholics who were treated horribly by the government, losing jobs, being arrested at the drop of a hat, their property destroyed. Watkins also goes into the problems that the Irish always have. Yes they like to fight, but sometimes they are not picky with who. The many different groups wanting different things even in the IRA caused problems for funding and arming. Watkins than looks at Philadelphia, a hot zone for radicalized Catholics, and the campaign started by five men to get weapons, Armalites especially, a rifle that made a difference, and soon became the subject of songs to the IRA. Something that governments in three different countries soon began to have problems with.

I really enjoyed this book as Watkins was able to break down much of what makes reading about Irish history at this time so difficult. There was a lot going on, many people to keep track of, and lots of history to remember. Watkins really keeps everything moving, and the profile Watkins paints of these American gun runners is fascinating. Most of them were married, lived middle class lives, had kids, worked with their hands. Yet they set up a system to supply weapons that changed history in many ways. Watkins details their lives, their risks, and looks at people in Ireland changed by the appearance of so much modern weaponry. A book that looks at policy, the human price, and how humans never ever seem to learn anything from history.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Next One Is For You is described as a nonfiction thriller and it’s an apt description. It covers the IRA in Northern Ireland and their efforts to collect money and guns in the US. What surprised me is that the US section doesn’t take place in Boston or NYC, but in Philadelphia. Turns out, Philadelphia was a stronghold of Northern Ireland emigres. As Watkins shows, a large majority of the weaponry coming from America was from an organization made up of middle aged, suburban family men.
Watkins spells out the rise of the Provos in the late sixties and seventies and how the political/occupation situation played out though the Good Friday Agreement. Meanwhile, in the US, NORAID, an organization supposedly formed to provide aid to families hurt by the Troubles, came to be the main supplier of arms to the Provos. Of course, with time, the ATF and the FBI went after them and a huge investigation followed. I did shake my head over the loose lips within the US group when talking to anyone they thought was on their side. Flip side, when they were faced with legal issues, they knew to stay quiet. Watkins follows the story well past the trial and gives the reader updates on all the pertinent individuals. It was interesting to realize that with approximately 400 guns sent to Northern Ireland, Watkins could only definitively trace one gun from Philadelphia to an actual event.
Watkins did a good job of remaining impartial. Maybe because of that, I was able to read this without feeling like I had to “take a side”. I was curious about how it would all play out, but I didn’t feel a desire to see the NORAID group get off.
For nonfiction, the book moves at a good pace with little downtime. I listened to this and at times, I did struggle to keep the names straight. This is probably a book better read despite Jennifer Woodward’s competent narration.

[Nancy Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating, well-researched account of how the U.S. Irish diaspora enabled and armed the Provo IRA before and during The Troubles in Northern Ireland (1975-1995, when the Good Friday Agreement went into effect). Philadelphia (Who knew?) played a central role, overseen by a secretive band of men dedicated to the unificarion or Ireland with help from countless fugitives, dock workers, cops, Irish-Catholic families and legit gun sellers. They raised millions of dollars through through NORAID (ostensibly to support widows and orphans), sending thousands of rifle, rocket launches, and ammunition by air and ship, packaged as household goods. As the N.I. death toll mounted among Catholics and Protestants alike, the UK and the US launched a joint (somewhat uncoordinated) criminal investigation fed by ATF and FBI surveillance. NYT reporter Watkins traces the purchase and journey of one Armalite rifle into the hands of a young IRA sniper, Geraldine Crawford, which later became evidence in the indictment and sensational trial of the "Philadelphia Five." She also brings to life key and random characters on both sides of the Atlantic, the causes and consequences of The Troubles, the US, UK, an Irish Republic political and PR dilemmas, and the IRA's evolution from nationalist rebels to Sinn Fein, a legitimate political party. What, she asks, might have happened to the IRA and without the U.S. support, money and weapons. Slainte.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the history of The Troubles in Northern Ireland and how the IRA used Irish-Americans to funnel guns and money into the cause, and how that affected everyone involved, on both sides of the equation.

While I have read other books about this time period, I do not remember ever reading [and found this new-to-me subject absolutely fascinating] about the American involvement [though I was honestly not all that surprised], so this was new knowledge and that is always fun.

Though there were sections that were fairly dry [and there were SO. MANY. NAMES. to remember], the overall feel of the book is very well done, expertly researched and I am glad that I read it; it was a reminder of how awful that time period was [and that we are not that far removed from the peace], and how it affected more people that we have ever thought about it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ali Watkins, and Little, Brown, and Company for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ddoddmccue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating history of the role of Irish Americans - many hard working Philly dads- smuggling guns to Northern Ireland’s Provisional IRA. For readers of Say Nothing and other books about The Troubles, this offers a well written, well researched account from a unique perspective.

The Next One Is For You centers on involvement in The Troubles from across the pond, with action unfolding in suburban Delaware County PA. The extent of Irish American efforts to arm the conflict in Northern Ireland is a page turner. So is the impact on the guns’ recipients, those directly involved in the conflict in Belfast and Derry.

The author provides a through a description of the shifting context- messy, competing political and paramilitary factions, 1960- present; the environment 25 years post- Good Friday Agreement; status post-Brexit. The Epilogue and Notes are must- reads.

[John A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well told story. As an Irish American, I followed the news of the troubles in the American media, Irish media and through Irish American press.

I felt like I was reliving my 20's. I lived near and visited many of the American locations and pubs mentioned through out the novel. And remember the news stories and trials of the gunrunning.

My wife and I visited Ireland on an 11 day bus tour, five years ago. Stepping foot on the land of my ancestors proved emotional. Standing on the Derry spot between Derry & Londonderry, was an added emotional visit.

Reading the novel brought me back to those times.

As A side note, I still have and wear occasionally wear my IRA t shirts, with the Armalite rifle thrust in the air by a beret wearing Irish rebel. UP THE IRA!

We may still see a United Ireland in my lifetime!!!

[Hope Vollm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an interesting look at the troubles. A look that we don’t often see- the American side. The juxtaposition of Geraldine’s story and the story of the gun smuggling in Philadelphia was so well done. I just wish we knew more.

While I think I’ve heard before that Americans were running guns to the IRA, this was a story I had never heard. Watkins does a fantastic job introducing the players and their stories. She also allows you to root for them, which I appreciate. These were real people fully believing in what they were doing. This comes across so clearly.

This is meticulously researched. Following the story of only ONE gun, but telling the story of many. This is a must read for anyone interested in Ireland and the troubles.

[Amanda Newland-Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ Two-Star Review

The Next One is For You by Ali Watkins explores the world of NORAID and gun-running to Northern Ireland—an intriguing and politically charged subject that holds a lot of promise. Unfortunately, while the premise is rich with potential, the execution falls short. The pacing is uneven, the characters lack depth, and the narrative never fully capitalizes on the high-stakes tension inherent in its topic. There are moments of solid writing, but they’re often lost in a story that struggles to maintain momentum and emotional resonance. I wanted to be gripped by this one, but it just didn’t deliver.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the fresh angle on the Troubles and the exploration of the US connection to fueling the violence of the 1970s. There is also really wonderfully vivid writing, but unfortunately I felt it got buried among start-stop pacing and the challenges of telling the stories of so many actors. A lot of details get repeated almost ad nauseam to the point they feel like filler for thinner chapters, and there are a few factual discrepancies within a page or two of each other that escaped editorial review that undermine the book's subject authority slightly. I think a worthwhile read for those deeply interested in the nooks and crannies of the Troubles, but probably not a place to start for a broader overview or introduction

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Troubles are not my normal era of history to study. I admit, I understand the basics, but nothing of substance. I have wanted to learn more, and “The next One Is For you” was a great unique story. A reader would expect to learn about the IRA in Belfast. Nope, this is the story focuses on the Philadelphia Five, who supplied the Irish Republican Army with guns and money.

Fantastic read and thankful to have learned a lot more about The Troubles. I enjoyed how Ali Watkins’ research and how dedicated they were to get the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company. #TheNextOneIsforYou #NetGalley

[George Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was interested in this book after reading Patrick Radden Keefe’s Say Nothing, which takes the reader through a broad history of The Troubles through the lives of individuals on every end of it. Despite the complexity of the subject and endless figures, Keefe keeps his story by selectively choosing whose eyes the reader sees through, and thus the reader is never lost in a sea of names and events.

After the first hundred pages, I was left uncaptivated and lost by endless names and I was not compelled by the narrative. Maybe my fault. I enjoy the subject matter and may pick this back up.

[Ben Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really quite excellent non-fiction, a bit less specific than the title but a helpful amount of history of the Troubles if someone didn't know the context. Highlights just how messy mess history/life is. Some thoughts:
- theres a really interesting book to be written about comparisons between the IRA and ISIS/islamic extremists, partic on recruiting and patterns of radicalization in suburban US
- was the revolutionary war good??

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, thoroughly researched. Watkins tells the previously untold story of the unassuming middle-class Irish immigrants in Philadelphia who sent hundreds of guns overseas to Northern Ireland. It is a political thriller of sorts, relying on previously unreported court documents, inteviews with survivors and more, woven into a narrative on both sides of the ocean. Great stuff.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The American connection is a fascinating aspect of Irish history that often can sometimes go overlooked, in relation to the Troubles and further back. However this book gives a well considered account of the Philadelphia’s important role. It bounces between detailed accounts of the lives of some of the key figures quite seamlessly and comes across as a well rounded, well researched piece.

[Abby Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was really well done! author offers a super interesting perspective founded in pretty exceptional investigative journalism. the scope is narrow in the people it covers but vast in impact. she’s definitely not impartial—but the arguments and structure of the narrative are more balanced than I expected.

[Andy Tuite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like so many books about “The Troubles” lots of sadness in this book. A little different twist on the story laid out. A line in the epilogue tells all you need to know . “Irish America remains proud of having armed the IRA, but how little we know about the lives that these weapons touched,for better and worse.”

[Bill Keefe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. The reporting was thorough and the writing clear. To me, though, it was reportage, an extended Atlantic article. That's not a knock but when you compare it with other true accounts, like Fintan O'Toole's "We Don't Know Ourselves" or Patrick Radden Keefe's, "Say Nothing", that take a broader sweep, or a more powerful presentation, it comes across as just so-so.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good author. Wrote from the heart. And feels the way some do in Irish America. Say nothing will always be. It was a bad time in Ireland. People need not say anything or just want to forget. Although Ali Watkins has a point. Memories fade, lips are silent, the stories are going to fade hopefully not forgotten completely.

[Julianna Pakstis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An earnest and fast paced historical narrative. Have an intense person centered telling of a specific aspect of the Troubles. The connection between Ireland and Philadelphia was clearly laid out and fascinating to learn about.

[Adelbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information about a confusing and, at times, maddening episode in Irish history.
Who was right, who was wrong, who were the real drivers of the Troubles?
How do you prosecute across an ocean and similar but different legal systems?
The author does a good job of explaining it.