Bad Fellas

by Paul Williams

Badfellas is the latest blockbuster by Ireland's most respected crime writer and journalist, Paul Williams. Badfellas is the definitive account of how organized crime evolved in Ireland over the past four decades. Drawing on his vast inside knowledge of the criminal underworld, an unparalleled range of contacts and eye witness interviews, Williams provides a chilling insight into the godfathers ­ and events - that have dominated gangland since the late 1960s.

Until the explosion of paramilitary violence in the 1970s, Ireland was a criminal backwater. However, petty criminals with dreams of the big time were quick to emulate the ruthless actions of the subversives. Organized crime took hold in Ireland and soon armed robberies, kidnappings and murder became commonplace.

After the introduction of heroin to Ireland by Dublin's Dunne family in the late 1970s, there was no going back. Badfellas traces how the hugely lucrative drug trade that then emerged led to the gang wars that have corroded communities and devastated countless lives. Badfellas describes in gripping detail the shocking depths to which the mobsters have sunk. Badfellas is essential reading for anyone who cares about keeping communities safe.

Genres: True Crime, Crime, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2011

About the author

Paul Williams is an Irish crime journalist, and author of crime exposes depicting the rise and fall of some of Ireland's most notorious and brutal gangs and criminal figures.

Reviews

[Saoirse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it gives a good detailed, mostly chronological overview over Ireland's gangland. It can get a bit confusing at times, because names turn up again where you don't expect them and there are a lot of names in this book in general, it's a bit difficult to keep track of them.

[Tim Basuino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at the major Irish crime players, roughly 1967-2000. From the way the book reads, the countries' major cities must've been incredibly harsh to live in....