Rough Beast cover art

Rough Beast

My Story and the Reality of Sinn Féin

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £15.87

Buy Now for £15.87

About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Rough Beast written and read by Máiría Cahill.

NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER IN THE IRISH NON-FICTION CHARTS

"Rough Beast is shocking, important and unputdownable." Roddy Doyle

Rough Beast is Máiría Cahill's harrowing story of her life and of what she went through at the hands of what is now Ireland’s largest and richest party. That story is told here for the first time in full detail and with unsparing honesty. It is a story of unimaginable trauma and political corruption. It brings to life a world of paramilitary secrecy and parallel laws, but above all it is the story of one young woman’s defiance of the power wielded by ex-gunmen inspiring fear and silence, and their influence over elected politicians.

Máiría Cahill grew up steeped in the traditions of Irish republicanism and the shadowy world of the IRA: her great-uncle Joe was one of the main founders of the Provisional IRA and her grandfather was Gerry Adams's mentor in the republican movement. From an early age she seemed destined for a glittering career within the increasingly successful political machine of Sinn Féin, which was then enjoying the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement. She worked in a radio station alongside leading republicans; the Sinn Féin offices were her second home. She knew Gerry Adams and other senior republicans as family friends.

But at the age of 16, she was sexually abused by a prominent Belfast IRA man. When she confided in some friends she trusted about the abuse, one of them told the IRA without Máiría's knowledge. A year later the organisation came calling, and forced her to take part in an inept and grotesquely insensitive internal investigation. She was subjected to round after round of interrogations by senior IRA men and women, usually in a network of safe houses around Belfast. Doubt was cast on her account of what had been done to her. Her assailant was allowed to confront and denounce her. Eventually her rapist was permitted to vanish from Belfast while Sinn Féin and the IRA professed bafflement about his whereabouts.©2023 Máiría Cahill (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Corruption & Misconduct Historical Politics & Government Women Inspiring
All stars
Most relevant
incredible bravery from Maria, A real eye opener on the depravity of Sinn Fein and it's leadership

a genuine hero

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Once I started it, I found it hard to put it down. truly inspiring

I was gripped from the start.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Book of the year, no doubt about it. Brilliant from start to finish. Read the book then decided to get the audible version. Mairia narrating the book herself hits differently. A brave and courages woman.

Brilliant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This story of Mairia and her teenage trauma caused by an IRA & Sinn Fein member also pedophile who not only abused her but other young girls and was protected by both organizations. Holding kangaroo courts and putting her through serious trauma. The story covers how she exposed both organizations and their leaders which not only covered up this individual but other pedophiles in both organizations within for years!! Also severe failures of the RUC / PSNI. The legal / court room episodes and how it affected her then and still now how she’s affected. All the lies and denials of party leaders!

A most courageous lady, she’s truly inspirational

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It takes courage for someone from the Republican Community to speak the truth about those at the top of the ira, it takes even more courage when they've endured what Mairia has.
Unfortunately too many people today, especially the young in America, the UK and the Republic of Ireland idolise a party and organisation that insists only the British Government have guilt over events in Northern Ireland.
Victims of abuse, sectarianism and violence will never have justice whilst one party is allowed to dictate the rights and wrongs of a conflict that will take many decades to heal if ever.

Courage.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews