“Sir John James Taylor De Facto Ruler of Ireland is a well-researched, detailed and remarkable account of not only some fascinating people but of times, politics and norms that can seem so interestingly distant and foreign to us now.”

• Scott Phelan, Director, The Montreal Irish Memorial Park Foundation and Past-president St. Patrick’s Society of Montreal

Sir John James Taylor - De Facto Ruler of Ireland….

chronicles the incredible story of the author’s great-grand-uncle, Sir John James Taylor, Assistant Under-Secretary of Ireland, who was the de facto ruler of Ireland from 1918 - 1920. It is the story of a commoner, born in Umballa, India who joins the British Civil Service as a young teenager in 1879 and rises through the civil ranks while in Ireland to a position of influence during the Anglo-Irish War of Independence.

The story of the Irish Easter Rebellion, Anglo-Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War is experienced through the exploits of the Taylor and Hynes families who lived through these troubled times. Sir John James’ younger sister Mary married into the Hynes family in 1880 and had five sons who all served in the Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C.) The R.I.C. was targeted by the Irish Republican Army during the Anglo-Irish War of Independence as was Sir John James Taylor and his immediate family.

Rich in historical detail, Sir John James Taylor – De facto Ruler of Ireland provides an intimate portrayal of life in Ireland and particularly in Dublin, leading up to the creation of the Free State of Ireland in late 1922. It provides key insights into the mindset of Sir John James Taylor, a commoner, who played a key role in the administration of the Irish Government in Dublin Castle during the troubled times of 1918 through 1920. When Taylor was presented with an opportunity to impact the course of Irish history, he took action even under the threat of assassination and death.

Sir John James Taylor is available at https://lnkd.in/dfKjH2s4