May 2026
The Realities of the Queen's Shilling
When we think of Victorian soldiers, we often imagine the glory of the scarlet tunic and the pride of the Empire. But for the young men of the 1880s—including my novel’s protagonist, Jim Donnelly—the journey into the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers began in the dim light of a public house, fuelled by desperate prospects and a few pints of porter.
Read on Substack →