Irish Gangland book about the life & Times of Thomas McGrath. It follows his life from his poor beginnings in Inner City Dublin Tenements to becoming the biggest importer of drugs. The story follows him and his gang of International drug smugglers across Europe and here in Ireland including his bloody and violent rise to the top of Gangland Ireland. The book is near complete and has around 115,000 words in it. Here is a tiny piece. Introduction The City of Dublin originally known as "The Black Pool" or by its Gaelic name ‘An Dubh Linn’ refers to a dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the Liffey on the site of the Castle Gardens at the rear of Dublin Castle. The City can trace its origin’s back hundreds of years to the Days of the Vikings and in more modern times the City was based in and around the inner city tenements that where situated North of the River Liffey and South of the River Liffey dividing the City in two for many generations to come. You are either a Northsider or a Southsider, it really is as simple as simple as that. In the 1940's and 1950's not long after the formation of the Irish Free State the City of Dublin became a struggle for survival as people lived in overcrowded and unhealthy tenement buildings scattered around the city centre. What also came with the tenements was poor sanitation, family upon family crammed into single room flats all because of the failure of Dublin Corporation, the city authority, which in conjunction with the Government of the day did not develop a meaningful policy to improve tenement life. The Corporation did attempt a number of social housing projects, including one on Benburb Street and the Corporation Buildings site just off the north quays but in general conditions where still poor and family life was tarnished because of this. These overcrowding problems where not helped in any way due to the fact and the backward thinking of the state that seen the subject of birth control as sinful and immoral under the eye of the Catholic Church. The result of this seen couples have 8, 10, or even 12 children that tied in with an old Dublin saying that still murmurs in conversation today, ‘A Good Catholic Family’. In those days the Catholic Church was the Law and nobody was going to ask how where they going too feed or look after the many children they did bare, it was just not the way. The tragedies that came from this burden of tenement life that destroyed many families where conveniently swept under the carpet of society by the powers that be hoping that these social inconveniences would just go away in time. Many overwhelming circumstances surrounded family life in the tenements and the vast overcrowding did not help as some women where driven to mental breakdowns by the multiplicity of pressures in their lives. Unfortunately many of these tragic stories would never be heard as they where lost forever in the corridors of history while the Irish Government and the Catholic Church remained silent as a City silently cried out for help. In 1960’s Ireland, the Catholic Church was still the leading authority over the nation and ruled with an ironclad fist, there was even a clause in the Irish Constitution since removed which recognized the special position of the Catholic Church in Ireland. There was only one TV station and one radio station, both Government run under the heading of RTE or in Ireland’s native tongue Radio TelifÃs Éireann. Life though was simpler for sure unlike today, children could play late into the long summer evenings, grannies were not attacked by thugs, people in general respected their parents, elders, and teachers. It was also a time of the very popular Showbands, who played a mixture of traditional and pop music to an adoring fan base in the dancehalls across the land. The Church denounced groups like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones who they considered were to be a bad influence, and pure Rock & Roll was even branded as "The Devil's Screeching.” The popular Traditional Irish music of the Dubliners and The Wolfe Tones was much listened too but the church and Irelands Conservative wing frowned upon folk songs, which spoke of “left wing” tendencies. It was a time of ‘we know best so you do as your told and things will be fine’. Two of the main educational authorities in Ireland, the Christian Brothers and the Catholic Church as time would reveal under a black cloud of controversy and damming cover-up’s from the top highlighted that a bad core within had sexually abused young boys and girls under their care and a massive public outcry followed. All to late mind. The facts where that this core of Brothers and Priests who were supposed to teach the nations children took it upon themselves to beat and bullied their pupils leading to massive illiteracy problems in that school going generation. In addition, young venerable boys and girls were mentally and sexually interfered with by these educationists who where in a position of so called trust. Stemming from this it was not strange to see many teenagers never make it in school past the age of 12 or 13 years for one reason or another many later on in life turning to alcohol, drugs and even suicide. With the lack of education and high unemployment at the time many people where taking the boat to the Britain or flying further a field to the United States of America and/or Australia seeking employment. Sadly this was a pattern that repeated itself right through to the 1980’s as mothers watched with a heavy heart as many young Irish people had no choice but to leave Ireland to improve their lives as best as they could in Foreign lands far from the home they yearned for. Dublin’s North and South Inner Cities had the highest unemployment statistics, levels of ill health, numbers of early school leavers, prison incarcerations, and drug users in Ireland. Throughout those years residents of Dublin’s Inner City have had to tackle poverty, neglect and the burden of drugs while trying to keep a roof over their head and putting cloths on the backs of their children and food on the table. They have endured some of the worst social and living conditions of any housing estates in the country. A scheme of replacing tenements with decent housing for Dublin's poor began in the 1960s with substantial progress been made with thousands of Dublin's working class population being moved to suburban housing estates around the edge of the city. The successes of these projects were mixed because although the tenement buildings were largely removed the urgency that grew from this was outlined publicly. From day one both tenants and community activists highlighted that little or no planning went into the building of the new public housing and the lack of amenities would see problems in the future, and how right where they. New and growing suburbs like Tallaght, Marino, Crumlin, Coolock and Ballymun instantly acquired huge populations and this was all to clear especially in the case of Tallaght and Ballymun where in a very short timeframe these areas seen the population rapidity grow overnight. The planners got the go ahead without any provision of shops, public transport, or employment for such a huge population intake. As a result, for several decades, certain quarters in all of these areas outside the Inner City became areas for crime, drug abuse, and unemployment blackspot. Not in any way, the complete fault of the residents. Dublin was changing and changing fast and I think the wording in the song by Pete St. John sums up the Dublin of years gone by so poignantly, THE RARE AULD TIMES. Ring a ring a Rosie, as the light declines, I remember Dublin city in the rare oul' times. Raised on songs and stories, heroes of renown. The passing tales and glories, that once was Dublin town. The hallowed halls and houses, the haunting children's rhymes. That once was part of Dublin, in the rare old times. Chorus: Oh me name it is Sean Dempsey, as Dublin as can be, Born hard and late in Pimlico, in a house that ceased to be. By trade I was a cooper, lost out to redundancy. Like my house that fell to progress, my trade's a memory. And I courted Peggy Diugnan, as pretty as you please, A rogue and a child of Mary, from the rebel Liberties. I lost her to a student chap, with skin as black as coal. When he took her off to Birmingham, he stole away my soul. Chorus: The years have made me bitter; the gargle dims my brain, 'Cause Dublin keeps on changing, and nothing seems the same. The pillar and the Met. Have gone, the Royal long since pulled down, As the grey unyielding concrete, makes a city of my town. Chorus: Fare thee well sweet Anna Liffey, I can no longer stay, And watch the new glass cages that spring up along the quay. My mind's too full of memories, too old to hear new chimes, I'm part of what was Dublin, in the rare auld times. Even though “The Black Pool” had a proud and chequered History she would see her young people taken from her not just by Revolution, Civil War or emigration but by the devastation that comes from Drugs and gangland feuding which would take hold of her Communities over many years. Some of Dublin’s gangsters engage in extortion, intimidation, and bribery to wield influence over their victims and others have been known for attempting to manipulate the decisions of civil institutions, such as court cases. The fact of the situation is that the reality of gangland is not like it is portrayed in the movies but a deadly ring that only the strong survive, well until someone else stronger comes along. Dublin City is no different to anywhere else on the planet and gangs and violence go hand in hand just like any major city around the world. It is here in the decades of years gone by where this story begins, in a time of uncertainty as a nation was seeking out a glimmer of hope in a life with nothing to look forward too and no reason to got and find it. What was built on the Cities foundations grew a bitterness and hate from a certain breed of man and woman who where fighting back against a society that made no room for them and gave them nothing to believe that they actually had a rightful place in the Ireland they where living in. The City of Dublin has had many children some of them good and some bad and this is the story of one of her sons a one Thomas “Little Don” McGrath. It will tell the tale of this man from his humble beginnings living in the Inner City Dublin flats to becoming Irelands most revered and vicious gangland boss. The world Thomas ‘Little Don’ McGrath was about to enter along with his ruthless gang would bring The “Black Pool” to its knees through violence, intimidation, drugs, and murder over many years. This is not a story of heroes but a story of how the reality of gangs and crime can get hold of a community and bring it to its knees while asking the questions. Is it the bravado of becoming a household name and main man on the block or is it a stain on society that young men and women turn to crime to make ends meat? Well is just might possibly be that it’s a combination of both. Violent men come and go and only sad memories of a mislead life is all that remains of them but their time on this planet will never go away. This is the story of Thomas McGrath.
Oh its called 'The Black Pool' after the Irish name for Dublin, An Dubh Linn'. Though it was a clever name for gangland?
Looks good sarge have you ever thought on writing a book on Limerick gangland or would that not be your area
I think this is the guy who was on Matt Cooper a good while back - Mean Streets - Limerick’s Gangland by Barry Duggan. Best of luck with it Sarge. I don't think I have the time to help, but hope it works out. Do like your man above - when completed get in touch with the media to promote it.
Oh really I would not be any good as a proof reader but when it comes out on sale I will defo give it a glance to see your take on the Limerick gangland, Some writers getting it completely wrong and seem to make up stories to suit there slant.
Its in the opening post you headcase Proofreading means reading it all ya know. About 115,000 wrds give or take a thousand or 5.
Sarge, Would love to help, but very busy in work and doing a Diploma outside of work...so don't have much spare time... But i can have a quick read of it if you aren't in too much of a hurry.. Proof-reading is a good idea, i wrote some articles for fanzines/programmes always a good idea to get some else have a look at what you wrote, they will always spot something you mightn't...no matter how many times you read it.. I read the Ian Rush auto-bio a while ago and spotted a few mistakes in that!!
Hope this kicks you off...maybe a bit at time and you'll get the whole lot done here by many Introduction The City of Dublin originally known as "The Black Pool" or by its Gaelic name ‘An Dubh Linn’ refers to a dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the Liffey on the site of the Castle Gardens at the rear of Dublin Castle. The City can trace its origin’s back hundreds of years to the Days of the Vikings and in more modern times the City was based in and around the inner city tenements that where situated North of the River Liffey and South of the River Liffey dividing the City in two for many generations to come. You are either a Northsider or a Southsider, it really is as simple as simple as that. In the 1940's and 1950's not long after the formation of the Irish Free State, the City of Dublin became a struggle for survival as people lived in overcrowded and unhealthy tenement buildings scattered around the city centre. What also came with the tenements was poor sanitation, family upon family crammed into single room flats all because of the failure of Dublin Corporation, the city authority, which in conjunction with the Government of the day did not develop a meaningful policy to improve tenement life. The Corporation did attempt a number of social housing projects, including one on Benburb Street and the Corporation Buildings site just off the north quays but in general conditions where still poor and family life was tarnished because of this. These overcrowding problems where not helped in any way due to the fact and the backward thinking of the state that seen the subject of birth control as sinful and immoral under the eye of the Catholic Church. The result of this seen couples have 8, 10, or even 12 children that tied in with an old Dublin saying that still murmurs in conversation today, ‘A Good Catholic Family’. In those days the Catholic Church was the Law and nobody was going to ask how where they going too feed or look after the many children they did bare, it was just not the way. The tragedies that came from this burden of tenement life that destroyed many families where conveniently swept under the carpet of society by the powers that be, hoping that these social inconveniences would just go away in time. Many overwhelming circumstances surrounded family life in the tenements and the vast overcrowding did not help as some women where driven to mental breakdowns by the multiplicity of pressures in their lives. Unfortunately many of these tragic stories would never be heard as they where lost forever in the corridors of history while the Irish Government and the Catholic Church remained silent as a City silently cried out for help. In 1960’s Ireland, the Catholic Church was still the leading authority over the nation and ruled with an ironclad fist, there was even a clause in the Irish Constitution, since removed, which recognized the special position of the Catholic Church in Ireland. There was only one TV station and one radio station, both Government run under the heading of RTE or in Ireland’s native tongue Radio TelifÃs Éireann. Life, though was simpler for sure unlike today, children could play late into the long summer evenings, grannies were not attacked by thugs. People, in general, respected their parents, elders, and teachers. It was also a time of the very popular Showbands, who played a mixture of traditional and pop music to an adoring fan base in the dancehalls across the land. The Church denounced groups like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones who they considered were to be a bad influence, and pure Rock & Roll was even branded as "The Devil's Screeching.†The popular Traditional Irish music of the Dubliners and The Wolfe Tones was much listened too but the church and Ireland’s Conservative wing frowned upon folk songs, which spoke of “left wing†tendencies. It was a time of ‘we know best so you do as you’re told and things will be fine’. Two of the main educational authorities in Ireland, the Christian Brothers and the Catholic Church, as time would reveal under a black cloud of controversy and damming cover-up’s from the top, highlighted that a bad core within had sexually abused young boys and girls under their care and a massive public outcry followed. All too late, mind. The facts where that this core of Brothers and Priests who were supposed to teach the nations children took it upon themselves to beat and bullied their pupils, leading to massive illiteracy problems in that school going generation. In addition, young vulnerable boys and girls were mentally and sexually interfered with by these educationists who where in a position of so called “trustâ€. Stemming from this, it was not strange to see many teenagers never make it in school, past the age of 12 or 13 years for one reason or another many later on in life turning to alcohol, drugs and even suicide. With the lack of education and high unemployment at the time many people were taking the boat to the Britain or flying further afield to the United States of America and/or Australia seeking employment. Sadly this was a pattern that repeated itself right through to the 1980’s as mothers watched with a heavy heart as many young Irish people had no choice but to leave Ireland to improve their lives as best as they could in foreign lands, far from the home they yearned for. Dublin’s North and South Inner Cities had the highest unemployment statistics, levels of ill health, numbers of early school leavers, prison incarcerations and drug users in Ireland. Throughout those years residents of Dublin’s Inner City have had to tackle poverty, neglect and the burden of drugs while trying to keep a roof over their head and putting cloths on the backs of their children and food on the table. They have endured some of the worst social and living conditions of any housing estates in the country. A scheme of replacing tenements with decent housing for Dublin's poor began in the 1960s with substantial progress been made with thousands of Dublin's working class population being moved to suburban housing estates around the edge of the city. The successes of these projects were mixed because although the tenement buildings were largely removed, the urgency that grew from this was outlined publicly. From day one both tenants and community activists highlighted that little or no planning went into the building of the new public housing and the lack of amenities would see problems in the future, and how right where they. New and growing suburbs like Tallaght, Marino, Crumlin, Coolock and Ballymun instantly acquired huge populations and this was all to clear especially in the case of Tallaght and Ballymun, where in a very short timeframe these areas seen the population rapidity grow overnight. The planners got the go ahead without any provision of shops, public transport, or employment for such a huge population intake. As a result, for several decades, certain quarters in all of these areas outside the Inner City became areas for crime, drug abuse, and unemployment blackspot. Not in any way, the complete fault of the residents. Dublin was changing and changing fast and I think the wording in the song by Pete St. John sums up the Dublin of years gone by so poignantly, THE RARE AULD TIMES. Ring a ring a Rosie, as the light declines, I remember Dublin city in the rare oul' times. Raised on songs and stories, heroes of renown. The passing tales and glories, that once was Dublin town. The hallowed halls and houses, the haunting children's rhymes. That once was part of Dublin, in the rare old times. Chorus: Oh me name it is Sean Dempsey, as Dublin as can be, Born hard and late in Pimlico, in a house that ceased to be. By trade I was a cooper, lost out to redundancy. Like my house that fell to progress, my trade's a memory. And I courted Peggy Diugnan, as pretty as you please, A rogue and a child of Mary, from the rebel Liberties. I lost her to a student chap, with skin as black as coal. When he took her off to Birmingham, he stole away my soul. Chorus: The years have made me bitter; the gargle dims my brain, 'Cause Dublin keeps on changing, and nothing seems the same. The pillar and the Met. Have gone, the Royal long since pulled down, As the grey unyielding concrete, makes a city of my town. Chorus: Fare thee well sweet Anna Liffey, I can no longer stay, And watch the new glass cages that spring up along the quay. My mind's too full of memories, too old to hear new chimes, I'm part of what was Dublin, in the rare auld times. Even though “The Black Pool†had a proud and chequered history, she would see her young people taken from her, not just by Revolution, Civil War or emigration but by the devastation that comes from drugs and gangland feuding which would take hold of her Communities over many years. Some of Dublin’s gangsters engage in extortion, intimidation and bribery to wield influence over their victims and others have been known for attempting to manipulate the decisions of civil institutions, such as court cases. The fact of the situation is that the reality of gangland is not like it is portrayed in the movies but a deadly ring that only the strong survive, well until someone else stronger comes along. Dublin City is no different to anywhere else on the planet and gangs and violence go hand in hand just like any major city around the world. It is here, in the decades of years gone by, where this story begins, in a time of uncertainty as a nation was seeking out a glimmer of hope in a life with nothing to look forward too and no reason to go and find it. What was built on the city’s foundations grew a bitterness and hate from a certain breed of man and woman, who were fighting back against a society that made no room for them and gave them nothing to believe that they actually had a rightful place in the Ireland they where living in. The City of Dublin has had many children, some of them good and some bad and this is the story of one of her sons a one Thomas “Little Don†McGrath. It will tell the tale of this man from his humble beginnings living in the Inner City Dublin flat’s to becoming Irelands most revered and vicious gangland boss. The world Thomas ‘Little Don’ McGrath was about to enter along with his ruthless gang would bring The “Black Pool†to its knees through violence, intimidation, drugs, and murder over many years. This is not a story of heroes but a story of how the reality of gangs and crime can get hold of a community and bring it to its knees while asking the questions. Is it the bravado of becoming a household name and main man on the block or is it a stain on society that young men and women turn to crime to make ends meet? Well it just might possibly be that it’s a combination of both. Violent men come and go and only sad memories of a mislead life is all that remains of them but their time on this planet will never go away. This is the story of Thomas McGrath.
No deadline mate. Thanks RR too. DR i would say their is tons of mistakes but to me i just cannot see them anymore as i read it as i want now. So the proofread.
Cheers all for your help. This is something i wanted to do myself and if i get it published well and good if not ah well i did it. So i defo take all the help i can get as my writing needs tweaking.
Fair play to you and hope you have some success and get it published but who the f@cks Thomas McGrath ? never heard of him before