Brian O'Donaghue, Bethesda part time resident and historical author

Part time Bethesda resident, Brian O’Donoghue who has family here in Bethesda and enjoys spending time among the streets of downtown Bethesda is writing a historical non-fiction book about his Grandfather’s role in the Irish war of independence from the early 1900’s. The book is a tribute to His grandfather and other defenders of the Irish land who had no choice but to fight back against the British during a very unsettling time in history.

Brian O’Donoghue quickly summarized the contents of his book;

“I am currently writing a biography of my maternal grandfather, an Irish revolutionary-Frank Busteed (Irish War of Independence 1916-22 and Civil War 1922-23) and who lived in New York running a successful ice cutting company from 1924-1935 before returning to Ireland, eventually taking up a commission as an officer in the Irish National Army in 1941.My mother was one of three of his children born in USA to his English wife, my grandmother Ann Marren. “

Brian grew up in Cork, Ireland one of the major areas where the war for Irish Independence was fought and some of the historically bloody battles are still remembered today. Brian O”Donoghue is the Grandson of Frank Busteed an Irish officer of The Irish National Army and resident of Cork, Ireland who was very much involved as an Irish officer and in the incident of Dripsey Ambush outside Cork-Jan 1921...

Not to ruin the lovely story Mr. O’donoghue has compiled, but in some of the most exciting parts of the story about Frank Busteed was that he had to execute a high ranking English. around 1920. Geoffrey Lee Compton Smith,a high ranking English Officer, who had been captured in Cork and held for a period of time by Frank Busteed and the two of them developed a very remarkable relationship as they became associates over time and even though Compton-Smith knew his fate, at one point told Busteed he respected and admired him even though he was about to kill him it didn’t change the fact that they were becoming somewhat close and shared a mutual respect for one another. . Compton-Smith was treated very well by The Irish during his stay prior to the execution, he was allowed to write a letter to his wife and leave any valuables for his family.

As the history of Frank Busteed unfolds, there is the story of Dripsey Ambush outside Cork-Jan 1921....when in an ambush Frank organized was betrayed by a local loyalist Mary Lindsay....as a result 10 of Franks men were taken prisoner and six of the men were sentenced to be executed ....Frank kidnapped Lindsay to hold her (and her driver|, who witnessed her betrayal) to trade for his men but the British wouldn't budge and went ahead and executed the 6 unfortunate young men................so Frank's men executed Lindsay 2 weeks later and her man(most of the British supporters-a lot in Ireland then , and Anglo Irish landed gentry generally kept out of it .....but the odd fanatic didn't-she was one...and as happens in a war paid with her life and that of her driver's.

A day after the killings on the night of the 13th March 1921...4 Auxiliary officers (real bad guys -psycho's damaged after WW1)...let loose on Ireland when we 'got out of hand'--not regular British Army, broke into Franks house--he was away but his ill mother Nora (my great grandmother)was dragged out of bed , interrogated brutally, her house ransacked ...all her belongings thrown out the windows on to the streets of Blarney, near Cork....and then was pitched down her stairs , landing on the stone hall floor where she sustained fatal injuries, dying the next morning (and the British knew exactly when Lindsay and her driver-Clarke were killed--but did not come out publicly about it till the following July-to not give the impression Mrs Busteed's attack was a revenge ) These are just some of the more remarkable points of the book and its links to actual Irish History from the early 1920’s

Frank Busteed’s website to his history is here also written by Brian O”Donoghue

Brian O’Donoghue is an enigmatic story teller, an enchanting man with a lyrical storytelling voice, one may listen to his stories for hours and not even realize three or four hours have gone by. Rumor has it there may be a history class at American University in Mr. O’Donoghue’s future if he chooses to take some time out to teach a history class and we would be lucky to have such a charming, engaging professor here in Washington D.C.

Brian’s thoughts on Washington D.C. and Bethesda are included in this quote as he spent a lot of his time in Bethesda and Washington D.C. In Museums and lunching in some of the more upscale restaurants around town;

“I have just returned to Ireland after a long stay, and got to know Bethesda in particular during this trip.

I walked a lot -on the Capital Trail into Bethesda from Mass Ave, and around the town and found it to be a friendly and lively place!I love Starbucks and went there almost every morning on my morning walk, I also found people were polite and helpful with directions generally, and that same courtesy I found in stores too. I Experienced some great restaurants , Bethesda certainly is well catered for in that respect., my particular favorites were Mon Ami Gabi, Cafe de Lux ,Mussel Bar, The Irish Inn(especially the music nights ), and La Madeleine which i usually frequented a few times per week for lunch or more often for coffee and a snack en route to or from D.C. Wagshalls on Mass. Ave is a great delicatessen and there is a nice and very relaxed French restaurant on Sangamore i sometimes lunched in .

I was also impressed with the bus service -always on time (though i think they could run an hour later-10pm was a bit early and i missed the last one once or twice and it’s hard to find a taxi in Bethesda at that hour !).”

Brian has a whimsical Irish charm and so much energy that make him a truly remarkable historian with his extensive knowledge of history simply flowing through his entire being, he knows the history of Ireland like the back of his hand and he enjoys delighting us with the stories of Cork and the many, many stories of Irish legend, history and fairy tales that endlessly wander into his palette. They are colorful stories that are timeless as they are legendary. We look forward to the publication of the Book that should be arriving this fall.

He is also making the history of his Grandfather’s legacy into a public exhibition in Cork, Ireland and Brian was invited to participate in the St.Patrick’s Day parade in New York City in 2017 as a representative from Cork, Ireland and he marched with his grandfather’s relatives in New York City on the day of the parade.