Rebel Hearts: Journeys Within the IRA's Soul

by Kevin Toolis

For ten years Kevin Toolis investigated the lives of the IRA soldiers who wage a secret battle against the British State. His journeys took him from the back kitchens of Belfast, where men joked while making two-thousand-pound bombs, to prisons for interviews with men serving life sentences, and to the graveyards where mourners weep. Each chapter explores a world where history, faith, and human savagery determine life and death. At once moving and harrowing,Rebel Hearts is the most authoritative and insightful book ever written on the IRA.

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction, Irish Literature, Politics, War, Biography

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 1995

Reviews

[Colin Garrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recounting the investigation by journalist Kevin Toolis into the lives of men and women who were part of the IRA’s efforts to oust the British Army from Ireland during the infamous ‘troubles’. Exploring the history of the cause and the republican (and loyalist) interpretations of it, Toolis uses interviews with IRA members, their families and their victims to paint a searing portrait of the conflict in Northern Ireland.

As an eight-year-old back in 1969, I remember a cousin of mine staying at our house one Christmas before going off to Ireland as a member of the British armed forces. Aside from the bombings in Britain, I can’t claim to know much about the atrocities perpetuated by the IRA and other militant factions but have long been interested in understanding the motives behind such behaviour. As a starting point, this book may be a bit ‘heavy’ for some readers, as the many and varied political standpoints of some of the interviewees isn’t always easy to get to grips with. Though from Irish roots himself, the author strives to keep his investigation objective, preferring to let the main protagonists speak for themselves. Through interviews with IRA members and their families, he allows them to air their views without imposing his own ideas. However, it is clear from many of the accounts that the overriding conclusion is one of a group of people who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.

Including interviews with infamous former leader of the Provisional IRA, Martin McGuinness, Toolis has written a fascinating and meticulous account that sheds light on the methods, motives and thinking behind the IRA and its activities.

[Fionnuala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, this was... really something. There's an anger and a grief that comes through in this book that makes it incredibly difficult to read sometimes, and it's possible to see the author oscillating wildly between understanding and despair. By the time the book reaches its final chapter, the exhaustion of the author is palpable. In a way, it's a very good representation of what actually living in the North is like: the constant back-and-forth between righteous anger and the urge to do something, followed by despair and hopelessness at the futility of it all. I think anyone who claims they've never wavered on their reserve is a liar, and this book is a very good parallel to that experience.

Something I liked about this book was the fact there was no lectures on history or analysis. The stories were simply told; occasionally Toolis would mention a personal reflection, but this was because it was something he was actively involved in the reporting of, or because he was physically there taking the interview. He says this is not yet another history book, and he's right. This is closer to an oral history combined with an autobiography, and it's a devastating mix. This book is bleak and it's dark, it's depressing as hell, it's shot through with a desperate hope and a fanatical conviction, and somehow Toolis manages to keep hold of the thread of what he's trying to do. It is an incredibly unique piece of work, quite unlike anything I've read on the Troubles.

In terms of technicality there are a few things here and there: I spotted a couple of spelling errors where it was obvious Toolis and his editors were not familiar with Irish words and got the vowels mixed up. There was also a complete lack of fadas, which... annoyed me a little bit as they are actually needed in Irish words; the word is not the same without them. As an amateur Irish-speaker currently learning more, it did rattle me a little to see fadas missed out of names and organisations, because it would change the pronunciation. (Perhaps I have personal beef, having a fada in my own name.) This was really my only pet peeve, though. There were a few moments at the beginning where I thought perhaps the tone was slightly too aggressive to consider the work non-biased, but as I read further and saw how Toolis frequently veered back and forth I realised it was more a representation of his journey rather than any attempt to sway things, and as mentioned above, that was something I came to like.

This is just... really something else. I enjoyed it immensely, but I wonder if that's strange to say considering it's also left me feeling very heavy and hollowed out. I suppose with such a subject matter being examined in such detail, that's inevitable. This really leaves you with a lot to think about.

[Kady Marteness · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful journey -- Toolis makes a great guide. Poignant, sad, funny and true: all the gears that make up the IRA and presented here.

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I'm fascinated with Irish history, with the North of Ireland, and with what drives people to defend their land with guns and bombs. The compelling cover shot got me to pull this one off the shelf, and I'm so glad I did. Toolis provides some great insights, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Meykong Delta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for anyone who strives to understand the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Being a rebellious, independent person, I've always instinctively understood the Catholic point of view more than the Protestant point of view in this centuries old conflict. As I cringed my way through Kevin Toolis' investigation of the IRA, I was finally able to open my heart and inner eye to see the Protestant point of view, as well. In addition, despite the many books I've read about the Troubles, this book really helped me understand the political complicating factors... not just the obvious issues between the IRA and the British government, but also between the Republic and the IRA. Toolis' provided so much insight on a personal level for me that I found myself [for the first time in my life] wanting to write a letter to the author thanking him for writing his book! As I read the last painful page, I ended the book more enlightened, and thus seeing the conflict in a much more balanced way. I just may actually write that letter, too. :)

[Maeve Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m no expert but I thought this was brilliant journalism. Written in a way that could appeal to both sides reading it. Chapter 7 we could’ve done without some of the author’s personal opinions.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for understanding the IRA's political standpoint and their historical and present reasons for their actions. The use of interviews is quite interesting to hear from those at various positions in the IRA from Volunteer upwards.

This is one of the books recommended by the BBC journalist Peter Taylor for those interested in reading around this area.

I really wish I could have had the extra time to read the last chapter on Martyrs - but I will certainly seek this book again in the future to finish where I left off.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on the IRA that I've ever read. It is a great blend of anecdotes and personal interviews with Volunteers and family members with meticulously researched passages from the author. If you're interested in The Troubles in Northern Ireland, this book is a must-read.

[Brian Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy can Toolis write, his prose just sizzles and cracks with intelligence and insight. His take and explanation on the Troubles is somewhat freewheeling, there are chapters entitled 'martyrs', 'volunteers' and such like.

Each of these headings leads off into a join the dots exposition. We hear of a particular attack, after discussing the victim the IRA unit who carried out the attack is spoken of, then we speak of the famly of someone in the unit who was later killed.

Each chapter comes full circle and sometimes, after forty pages, we come back to the person mentioned at the beginning of the chapter and I am like 'oh yeah, I forgot this is where we started.'

The approach is slightly unusual and could be perceived as gimmicky. However, Toolis writes in such a way that it never comes across as an affectation or a tool to hide weaknesses in his writing or the narrative.

I thoroughly recommend this book both for the high standard of the writing and the human interest he brings to his account of the Troubles. One chapter in particular illustrates this when he speaks about an IRA ambush against an 'agent of the crown' who is, in actuality, a dog warden. The ambush goes wrong and the warden kills one of the IRA volunteers. Toolis writes of his visit to the warden, they discuss the injuries he received and how he fought (lucked) his way out of the ambush and killed a young IRA volunteer. Toolis then drives to the family home of the volunteer's parents and interviews them, the difference in the polarity of their viewpoints is jarring. All this after a drive of a couple of hours.

A brilliant book.

[Kevin Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I was well into this book, I found myself becoming weary and tired of all the killing and bombing and killing and bombing.
It really drove it home that the people in Northern Ireland went through this for decades and even centuries.
I had always wanted to know more about the Troubles in NI. As youth in America during the 70s, 80s and early 90s, I would hear the news about some terrible event there, but of course they never really went into it much more than it was a religious thing. Now I know it was much much more than simply Catholics vs Protestants, and the political and colonial aspects go back father than the founding of my own country.
Beautifully and poignantly narrated, Kevin Toolis blends history with the more modern events to explain the history of the IRA and the conflict in Northern Ireland in a touching and personal way. One thing that stands out to me is that as he is learning and exploring the deeper issues and the people directly involved, I was learning as well. It was as if I was on the journey of understanding with him.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a completely different cast of characters than "Say Nothing," and it focuses more on Derry than Belfast. Another notable difference is the rawness and urgency that permeates this publication from the early 1990's when the Troubles were still underway. The author, Kevin Toolis, somehow gained rare access to individuals and documents, including a clandestine interview with a wanted IRA leader who played him a gut-wrenching tape of an informant's pre-execution confession. It's some serious journalism; Toolis was probably more immersed in the IRA than any other outsider at the time, and his book captures many of the harsh realities that were sometimes obscured in other treatments of the Troubles.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although REBEL HEARTS is nearing its 25th anniversary, it certainly has stood the test of time. The reader gets a brief history of the IRA, the crown colonization, and even himself, which is just as measmurizing. I was completely focused as I studied these sections of his travels through beautiful Ireland; meeting with victims, suspects, and other parties involved from the provisional trouble begginnings to events that would later become the Good Friday Agreement. The book is not biased in any way, nor is Toolis. He only offers his insight through well documented journalism. Truly a cherished read.

[Nyambura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting primer on the IRA and the issues in Northern Ireland.

[Michael Lovito · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeez this took me a long time. Rebel Hearts is an incredibly dense and detailed book about that takes singular incidents in the Troubles, and uses them as a jumping off point to discuss the broader trends and history surrounding the armed struggle of the IRA. Sometimes these stories can be revealing (especially the profile of Martin McGuinness, and the story about the failed assassination of a dog warden), but other times it becomes a slough, and very focused on the logistics and hierarchy of IRA life. At it's best, Rebel Hearts reveals the conflict between the IRA's romantic notions of itself and the allure of it's ideals with the ultimately pathetic and futile nature of some of their actions. At it's worst, it feels a lot like the Troubles must have at their height, which, is to say, never ending.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how this book took individual people and told their stories to illustrate the more general story of the Troubles. For the most part, they aren't the big names you might have heard of before but they're still excellent case studies. It was definitely a good book to get a better idea of the types of people in the IRA. Even though it's about the IRA, I would say it's not trying to make the argument that the IRA were always right and justified--in other words, it's good that the author is far enough removed from the actual events but he also has enough of a vested interest in the story that he can tell it well and clearly feels passionate about it.

My main drawback was that the prose was quite... dense? dry? I'm not sure. I just found it to be particularly slow going, despite how interesting the story was.

[Betty Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good, in-depth account of those involved in Ireland’s “troubles”. I believe it gave a fair depiction if both sides of the conflict, while expounding upon the historical and more current motivations for the conflict. The first part of the book was more interesting to me as the author reflected on his own memories as well as his extensive research and interviews of the families affected. I became a bit bogged down by the amount of personal details and information given towards the latter half of the book. I was left with the question of “Why did it have to be such a painful and prolonged conflict?” I would like to have been given more follow-up on the resolutions and cessation of armed conflict. To me, this book was very well written and easy to understand.

[Rob Jeffery · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptional book that details the lives and passions behind the faceless IRA volunteers. The author does not write from a detached perspective - he has sympathy for the political aims of the IRA but denounces their violence. The book is a record of his many interviews with IRA members and their families. Some interviews were quite dangerous for him to conduct. Toolis does seem certain that the Northern Irish state will eventually give way to a 'united Ireland', but as of 2025 this has not happened. I would be most interested in learning his thoughts on the devolved, power sharing government that wasn't fully in place when he completed his book in 1995.

All in all, a fantastic book for those interested in the history of Northern Ireland, both past and present.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kevin Toolis's emotional exploration of the Troubles spanned 10 years, documenting with precision the war between the Provisional IRA and the British Army. "Rebel Hearts" gets off to a slow start, as the author seemed to struggle to figure out what this book was supposed to be and how large a role he should play in the telling.

Toolis eventually emerges as an ancillary character, forced to reckon with his Irish origins and his feelings about the IRA. The variety of acronyms and the sprawling number of names and incidents can be difficult to follow, but the author does a tremendous job of documenting the impact of the violence on families on both sides and tying in the lengthy history of the Troubles themselves.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t finish it. Although it is impressively researched, I ultimately couldn’t handle the complete lack of humanity exhibited by these people (all of them). The Irish Republicans have a legitimate grievance with the British, but their tactics are disgusting and ultimately even though their cause seems real, I have no sympathy for them. I almost sympathize with the murdering Brits, but not quite. In any case, the book simply becomes boring, with the same repeated rationalizations, murders, thuggery, and stupidity. There wasn’t a single person interviewed in the book or written about in the book that I empathized with. The whole thing simply became a bore.

[Kimberly Zinevich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebel Hearts by Kevin Toolis is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The book is rich with historical detail and deeply human stories, providing a powerful account of the conflict and its lasting impact. Toolis writes with a journalist’s eye and a personal touch that adds depth to the narrative. That said, this isn’t a light read—it demands focus and reflection, especially for readers less familiar with the historical and political context. Still, for anyone interested in Irish history or modern conflict, Rebel Hearts is a rewarding and eye-opening read.

[Emre · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tree of Liberty was not destroyed by Sir Neal, it was not burnt, it could not be destroyed. The
physical tree might burn but the idea had planted itself in the hearts of Irish men and women and could never be removed. The flames, and Father Sweeney's execution, merely scattered the seeds of resistance. . . . Our very presence here today vindicates Father Sweeney's judgement and his sacrifice. His ideals, his purpose lives on in our minds and in our hearts and in every rebel heart."

[E Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Toolis provides an objective, honest assessment of the Troubles, primarily from individual and family perspectives. Catholic and Protestant, IRA, Unionist...all were presented fairly from what I know. Unlike many academic history books, Rebel Hearts looks at the time from the peoples' perspectives, with just enough background to understand the Troubles were simply the latest period in almost 1,000 years of Irish resistance.

[Michael Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does a good job of explaining the human side of why people would join an insurgency (in this case the IRA), as well as give a 360 view of the human impact that such violence has on specific families. Collection of interviews interlaced with the authors own opinion on the conflict - ultimately come away thinking that while the anger of the republicans is understandable the violence ends up accomplishing little other than creating tragedy

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a rebel, but certainly a Republican, Toolis presents his account of (some of) the atrocities of the Troubles as vignettes of the key ideas he found to be driving forces of the Troubles. Not the best book for one unfamiliar with the details and history leading up to 1916, but a fantastic read for anyone reasonably well versed in the history of the divided Ireland.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really important topic. Content felt well-researched. I thought it would have been more successful if there was an argument on behalf of the author. It felt very “both sides” all the time.

I wanted to give it 2 stars. However, reading this book did help me understand the Troubles, and that was my aim.

[Rhemaboy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

I lived in Northern Ireland in 60’s - 80’s, a wonderful country with good people, I am so glad that today’s generation is moving away from the stupidly and waste of life on both sides.

[Regina Dooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kevin Toolis is a wonderful writer and from.the first chapter l was drawn into his style and story telling. l was aware of a lot of the events and people in the book and the author put them into context.

[Fred Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent writing about a fascinating topic. It gives great insight into a side not as often portrayed in much fair context, mostly speaking to IRA members and their families to get their perspective on events. A great read that kept me engaged the entire way through

[Betty Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a deep ethnographic look into the IRA, the Troubles and Irish history. It is a dense book and at times I wish some of the chapters had been broken up into smaller sections as it may have been easier to follow.

[Tom Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and easy to read, it’s a book you can really just Sail through. Would have given it 5 stars only Toolis’ political takes are a little bit gay, maybe his upbringing in Edinburgh had something to do with that.