The Most Famous Irish People You've Never Heard Of

Book excerpt: STORIES OF ADVENTURE & ACHIEVEMENT INVENTORS, GOLD-DIGGERS, MILITARY LEADERS, SPIES, RABBLE-ROUSERS, SOLDIERS, COURTESANS, ACE PILOTS DETECTIVES, ATHLETES, HEROES Irish people have left their mark on virtually every corner of the globe. This fascinating book tells the stories of the Irish who are justly celebrated in their adopted homelands, but virtually unknown in Ireland. - William Melville from Kerry, the First Head of MI5 - Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty from Cork, who rescued 4,000 Jews and Allied Servicemen from the Nazis - James Hoban from Kilkenny who designed The White House - Jennie Hodgers from Louth who served three years in Union Army during the American Civil War - as a man - George McElroy from Dublin who became one of World war I's outstanding aerial aces And many more ...