February 25th, 2015

Kieran Fitzpatrick is from County Donegal, the most northern county in the Republic of Ireland and the county with the longest border with Northern Ireland.  Kieran’s major flaw is his obsessive devotion to both the cause of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and his friend Ian Murphy.

County Donegal has the reputation for being fiercely independent and boasts the greatest number of Gaelic speakers of any county in the Republic of Ireland.  Kieran is one of the founding members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) and a member of their ruling Council.

Kieran recruits Ian to join the PIRA following the death of Ian’s best friend, Timolty Doyle, during a raid in Belfast.  Kieran convinces Ian to use his skills as a writer to write propaganda for the Cause.  In 1977 Kieran recognizes that the PIRA recruits are not disciplined and are disorganized.  Kieran convinces Ian to write a training manual for PIRA volunteers.  Ian writes the manual that became known as the Green Book.  The tide turns for the PIRA with disciplined volunteers and the friendship between Ian and Kieran is impregnable.

Kieran’s devotion to The Troubles and Ian clash in the last chapter of Murphy’s Troubles and he’s forced to make a choice between his devotion to the PIRA and his devotion to his friend, Ian Murphy.  Kieran has the choice to betray the Cause or to betray friendship.  Whatever decision Kieran makes he will pay a personal price.