James F Walsh

Trip to Turbulence James F Walsh

American Max Orr, in 1914, joined the British Army just before the Great War. He and four Army mates, United Irishmen, served in the British Expeditionary Force. One by one, from August to October 1914, each went down with wounds. Years later, Army mate Johnny Donaldson telegraphed Max, now a newspaper Editor, an invitation to march on 1 July 1922 to celebrate the creation of Northern Ireland, and Max to be awarded a medal for heroism in the battle of Le Cateau. In Northern Ireland, Foreign Correspondent Max Orr was shocked at the civil and religious terrorism perpetrated by a Minister and the Government against Catholics. When it resulted in the arrest of Catholic Army mate Connolly and his internment on prison ship Argenta, Max and two of his Army mates plotted Connolly's escape and combat actions to reach the Free State of Ireland.