The Ballad of Lord Edward and Citizen Small

From multi-award-winning author and film director Neil Jordan comes a thrilling reimagining of a turning point in Irish, American and European history.
'A masterwork from one of the most inventive artists of our day' John Banville

'A writer of uncommon talent' Irish Times

'An expertly spun ballad defined by themes of belonging, illusion and fidelity' RTÉ Culture

Eutaw Springs, South Carolina, 1781, the American War of Independence. A runaway slave saves the life of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, a British army officer and the younger son of one of colonial Ireland's grandest families.

The tale that unfolds is related by Tony Small, the slave who becomes Fitzgerald's manservant and friend. While details of Lord Edward's life are well documented, little is known of Tony Small. In this gripping narrative his character considers the ironies of empire, captivity and freedom, mapping Lord Edward's journey from being a loyal subject of the British Empire to becoming a leader of the disastrous 1798 rebellion.

This powerful new work of fiction brings Neil Jordan's inimitable storytelling ability to the drama of real events and a long-forgotten chapter in Ireland and Britain's history.