The Sniper by Liam O'Flaherty- Newspaper Report

Republican Sniper kills 3 Enemies during Dublin Civil War

in June of 1922  in the middle of the night a Republican Sniper Shoots his brother and 2 other Free Staters near O’Connell Bridge from the Roof of a Building. Armed with only a rifle and a Revolver he manages to take out an enemy Sniper who was actually his brother across the street also hiding on the roof with a clever trick, the second target was driving an armoured military vehicle and stopped just under the sniper to talk to the third target which was a female informer.

The sniper had the looks of a student but the eyes of a killer, the eyes of a man used to death. The sniper was revealed his location to the enemy sniper but what he didn’t know was that the man who was hiding across the street was actually his brother who had to switch sides when the army was split up. After his meal when he decided to light a cigarette taking the risk of an enemy seeing the light of the match. His brother saw it and took a shot which whizzed past the sniper.

Afterwards the Republican sniper tried to shoot the Free Stater sniper but he was hidden and undercover, at that instant an armoured vehicle drove down the street towards the sniper and a woman approached it, the woman pointed towards his location and a man appeared on top of the truck who tried to man the turret that was placed on top of the truck but before he could the Sniper shot the man. The informer tried to flee down the street, but did not get very far the sniper also shot her.

His brother then took the chance and shot at the Republican hitting him in the shoulder. In an Interview the sniper says “I didn’t even feel pain I just felt a deadened sensation in my arm”.  He realised the bullet did not come out the other side  his body so therefore is lodged in his bone. He tends his wounds by pouring liquid Iodine over it.

Soon after the sniper realises he cannot fire his rifle  any more so he makes a plan to lure his enemy out by pretending to die. He puts his cap on the muzzle of his rifle and exposes the hat which gets shot seconds after, the Republican Sniper then lets his hand fall over the ledge of the roof and his rifle fall.

The snipers brother believes that he’s killed his enemy and stands up victoriously, but his victory is cut short when the Republican sniper takes him out using a handheld revolver, the bullet covered a distance of 40 meters.

It’s Ironic two brother battling each other but for the same country, but not by choice.

ISU BLOG #3

In the book Dark inside the main reason people are so edge is because the enemy can be anyone, there is no one to trust. The Enemy could be disguised as your friend you could think you trust him or her but the minute you turn your back you are dead. This Picture perfectly represent the trust issues that the main characters of my book are experiencing. No matter how friendly someone might seem they could always stab you in the back with an axe. Mason who is one of the main characters of the book, was traveling by himself and met a one legged old man named Twiggy who offered him help. Mason decided he was harmless, the old man fed mason and talked with him, even offering his vehicle with a full tank of gas. However as soon as Mason stepped out the door the old man said "Trust no one" and then he whips his coffee mug towards his head and knocks him out. Who could have thought that would ever happened ! Imagine how hard it is to survive in an apocalypse without being able to trust anyone, even the people you have known for years. The main characters of my book are still trusting each other believing that is the only way to survive, but they are experiencing the consequences and betrayal .