The Irish potato famine killed thousands and drove more than 1 million people to emigrate, many to the United States. Thomas Meagher became a part of the Irish diaspora after leading an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow British rule on the islands.
Once in the U.S., Meagher formed the Irish Brigade, one of the fiercest fighting units in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Here & Now‘s Meghna Chakrabarti talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Timothy Egan about his new book, “The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became An American Hero.”
Guest
- Timothy Egan, author and New York Times columnist. He tweets @nytegan.
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