Shadow of a Gunman was the first major work of fiction based on the Irish War of Independence, 1919-1921. But while the story of the gunman has been told and retold, the question of who paid for the gun has remained unanswered. The revolution, however, had to be funded. Without requisitefunds, the fight could not have been won. The way in which it was funded is the focus of this study. Shadow of a Taxman investigates how the unrecognised Irish Republic's money was solicited, collected, transmitted, and safeguarded, as well as who the financial backers were and what might have influenced their decision to contribute. The Republic's quest for funds took its emissaries as far afieldas New York, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, and Melbourne, as well as virtually every parish in Ireland. By selling 'war bonds' to supporters, it raised L370, 165 from 140, 000 people in Ireland and nearly $6m from 300, 000 people in the United States. These bonds promised a return to subscribers whenBritish forces had left Ireland and an independent Irish Republic was internationally recognised. Exploiting newly uncovered documents, Shadow of a Taxman reveals the identities of these subscribers. Cross-referencing with census returns, intelligence reports, memoirs, and IRA membership rolls, it provides the first demographic analysis of non-combatant supporters of Irish independence on theeve of its realisation. It also shows how access to funds shaped the course of the Irish War of Independence and, ultimately, Irish republicans' negotiating position with the British government in 1921. | Shadow of a Taxman by R. J. C. Adams, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters