Bloodshed in the Comeraghs

The Civil War Killing of IRA Guerrilla Thomas Keating

At the age of 30, Thomas Keating met an untimely end in the Comeragh Mountains of County Waterford, leaving behind a legacy that echoed the flames of resistance. Often likened to the renowned Liam Lynch, Thomas's impact on the local struggle was profound, encapsulating the spirit of resistance that reverberated far beyond his native Waterford.

The Irish Civil War starkly contrasted with the War of Independence, as the IRA faced a formidable adversary and a lack of broad public support and Church backing. Thomas navigated this treacherous terrain with exceptional skill. Unlike the organised communication of the War of Independence, the Civil War's chaos meant local leaders like Thomas were left to their own ingenuity to keep the flame of resistance alive. Despite the odds stacked against him, Thomas persisted in his fight until the war's bitter end, a testament to his courage and his relentless pursuit of the Republic his family and younger brother Pat had sacrificed for.

Sadly, the bitterness that clung to Irish society after the war obscured Thomas's legacy, relegating his contribution to a footnote about his enigmatic death. In contrast, Pat's role in the War of Independence was well-documented through accounts to the Bureau of Military History. The Civil War, a topic avoided by the Bureau, left Thomas's deeds during that period largely unchronicled.

This book, a work of remembrance, seeks to examine Thomas Keating's full role in the Irish revolution.