Big Tim: One of my uncles was one of the local "lads" in Ballinacarriga at the time. He later received a medal from the Irish President which I have still got. I grew up in an area in which many of the young men had been involved in one way or another in the War of Independence. When I knew them they were all into middle age or getting on a bit. Very few of them ever discussed the times, somewhat similar to the survivors of the World War One. Only a few really like Tom Barry and Liam Deasy ever wrote about it.An interesting side note regarding Barry and Deasy and I quote from the introduction to the book "Brother against Brother" by Liam Deasy as follows."In 1973 he (Deasy) published his account of the fight against the British in West Cork in a book called 'Towards Ireland Free.' Tom Barry, who was only in the movement a short time before the Truce and who knew little of what really happened in West Cork, took exception to a number of things Deasy said and wrote a rather hysterical pamphlet which was immediately rejected by a group of the surviving members of the West Cork Brigade." If you can get hold of the book "Towards Ireland Free" it's worth while as it gives a very detailed picture of the period 1917 to 1921 and has a good description of the Kilmichael Ambush by Paddy O'Brien. It was published by the Mercier Press, Cork but more than likely it is out of print for many years. If interested try the Bantry Book Shop at www.bantrybk.com who have a good service.