Dan Breen (1894–1969) was a prominent Irish republican revolutionary and politician, best known for his leading role in the Irish War of Independence and as the man who fired the first shots of that conflict. Soloheadbeg Ambush: On January 21, 1919, Breen and a small group of the Third Tipperary Brigade (including Seán Treacy) ambushed a Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) convoy at Soloheadbeg. This event is widely regarded as the start of the War of Independence. He became one of the most wanted me

There are a lot of versions of The Dying Rebel out there, but for us, Myles Gaffney’s will always be the favourite. There’s just something unbeatable about a Cork man singing a Cork song — it feels rooted, honest, and completely authentic. You can hear the place in the voice. It’s not just being sung; it’s being remembered. The Dying Rebel is one of the most powerful Irish rebel songs, written from the perspective of a young republican lying wounded after battle, reflecting on his life, his comr