This newly republished historical novel revisits the story of Fr. James Edwin Coyle (Fr. Jimmy), an Irish priest from County Roscommon who was tangled with the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama in 1921. The novel is published by 451 Editions in April 2026. Inspired by meticulous historical research but told through the fictionalised voice of Jimmy’s sister, the novel explores the experience of an Irish emigrant priest working in the American South during a period of racial tension and political unrest. Its republication brings renewed attention to a remarkable and still little-known story linking Ireland to one of the most turbulent chapters of twentieth-century American history. The story has direct relevance to the rise of racist populism today.

The book can be ordered at your local independent bookshop, or through online retailers.
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