A tale of temptation, betrayal, and reprisal, this powerful novel is set in the aftermath of the Irish Civil War. It tells of Gypo Nolan, who informs on a wanted comrade. Gypo Nolan, a brute of a man in need of a night's lodging, has informed on a comrade wanted by the authorities. With his twenty pounds' reward he sets off on a rampage through Dublin's public houses and brothels. The book was the source of the Academy Award-winning film directed by John Ford. Liam O’Flaherty, (born on the Aran Islands in 1896) was an Irish novelist and short-story writer whose works combine brutal naturalism, psychological analysis, poetry, and biting satire with an abiding respect for the courage and persistence of the Irish people. He is considered a leading figure of the Irish Literary Renaissance.