The Great Shame

The Great Shame chronicles the mass deportation of Irish political prisoners and convicts to Australia in the mid-1800s. Author Thomas Keneally traces multiple narratives of prisoners, rebels, and their families across decades and continents. The book follows key figures including Young Irelander John Mitchel and others who were transported to Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. Through personal letters, historical records, and official documents, Keneally reconstructs their experiences in Ireland's resistance movements, their trials, the brutal transport ships, and their lives in Australian penal colonies. Several of the transported Irish went on to escape and rebuild their lives in America, becoming involved in the Civil War, politics, and the Irish independence movement. The narrative spans from the potato famine years through the American Civil War era and beyond. This work examines themes of political resistance, cultural identity, and the complex relationship between crime and justice in colonial systems. The parallels between Irish and Australian history reveal broader patterns about empire, punishment, and the human capacity for survival.

Readers value the depth of research and personal connection Keneally brings to this history of Irish convict transportation and emigration. Many note how he weaves family histories, including his own wife's ancestors, into the broader historical narrative. Positives: - Documents previously untold stories of Irish prisoners and emigrants - Clear explanations of complex political contexts - Compelling individual narratives that illuminate the larger history Negatives: - Length and detail can be overwhelming (750+ pages) - Jumps between multiple storylines, which some find hard to follow - Technical language and historical minutiae slow the pacing One reader noted: "The personal stories make the history come alive, but I had to take breaks from the sheer density of information." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (561 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (89 ratings) LibraryThing: 4.0/5 (43 ratings) Most critical reviews focus on the book's length and complexity rather than questioning its historical accuracy or significance.

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🌟 Author Thomas Keneally discovered this story while visiting a bar in Dublin owned by a descendant of one of the transported Irish convicts he writes about in the book. 🍀 The "Young Ireland" political prisoners described in the book orchestrated one of the most daring prison escapes in history, with several members breaking out of a penal colony in Western Australia and eventually reaching America. 📚 Keneally is better known for writing "Schindler's Ark," which was adapted into Steven Spielberg's film "Schindler's List," but he has strong personal connections to this Irish history as a descendant of transported convicts himself. ⛓️ Many of the Irish political prisoners transported to Australia were educated professionals—including journalists, lawyers, and poets—who continued writing and documenting their experiences during their exile. 🗺️ The book traces not just the Australian story but follows the Irish diaspora to multiple continents, showing how transported convicts and their descendants influenced the development of countries including the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.