The Informer

By Liam O'Flaherty

Book Overview

"The Informer" is a powerful psychological thriller and a landmark of Irish literature, set against the gritty backdrop of post-revolutionary Dublin. The story follows Gypo Nolan, a physically imposing but mentally simple man who, driven by desperation and poverty, betrays his comrade in the revolutionary underground to the police for a small reward. This act of treachery sets off a tense, claustrophobic pursuit as Gypo's former associates hunt him through the dark alleys and tenements of the city.

Liam O'Flaherty masterfully explores themes of guilt, conscience, and the brutal reality of political strife. Through the character of Gypo, the narrative delves into the complexities of human motivation and the inevitable consequences of betrayal. The novel provides a vivid depiction of the urban underworld and the social tensions inherent in a nation struggling for its identity. Recognized for its stark realism and intense emotional depth, "The Informer" remains a compelling study of a man's moral collapse and the unforgiving nature of the world he inhabits. This influential work stands as a cornerstone of modern Irish fiction, offering a haunting look at the intersection of individual survival and political loyalty.

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025738632
• ISBN13: 9781025738635
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.87 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The Informer

A great book! A twelve hour window into 1920s Dublin, it follows an informer that get tattles and gets his 'friend' killed.

Fenian Hulk Finks on Friend, Fatally Fails to Flee

In the confused political situation in Ireland between 1916 and 1925, all kinds of ideologies competed, common criminals took up party work only to revert to their original callings. Leaders were betrayed, assassinated, jailed. The long dream of independence came to life, but in a fog of disappointment and disillusion. When the dust settled, all the brilliant men lay dead. O'Flaherty has set his novel in the politico-criminal underworld of this period, with a large dollop of that disillusion. Nobody comes out smelling like a rose. Gypo Nolan, the main character, harbors great physical strength, but little brain. Unlike most protagonists, he thinks little. The author describes his feelings or changes of mood, an interesting tack to take. Gypo informs on a former colleague in the Party, who is promptly surrounded by the police and gets shot dead during the standoff. With his 20 pound reward burning a hole in his pocket ( it might have been equivalent to about 20 weeks pay for a worker), Gypo treats a crowd to fish and chips, then drinks, fights, and whores, giving a big part of his loot away to a sad woman he meets by chance. The Party suspects Gypo, who fingers an innocent man. At the subsequent "trial", the truth comes out. Gypo is locked up, but escapes. The denouement is not long in coming. THE INFORMER is fast paced, highly descriptive. I felt that sometimes the urge to describe everyone and everything in detail got the better of the author, his descriptive style began to resemble a Thomas Hart Benton mural, with each individual a caricature of a `type' or a `stock character'. The "firm jaws", the "mouths belonging to an average Irishwoman of the middle class", "he looked like a waiter thrown out of employment through old age".....very graphic, colorful, but somehow cartoonish. Anyway, little gripes aside, this is a novel that will hold your attention. It hangs together very well, connecting Irish history and society with a film-noir atmosphere of suspense, action, and intrigue. It catches the Dublin and the Ireland of the time, now changed out of all recognition by prosperity and respectability. And more luck to Ireland for that.

The Real Story

This is a good novel about Ireland's ongoing troubles. It spares us the contrived world of the Clancy brothers and rebel songs. The story is set in the years after the establishment of the Irish Free State. The protagonists, unlike in the movie, are not patriots per se but rather communists or IRA members who wanted complete independence from the United Kingdom. Gypo Nolan and his victim Frankie McPhilip are less than valued members of the organization. The story deals with successful efforts to track down Gypo who informed on Frankie. It is noted that Gypo betrayed Frankie to the police not to the Black and Tans as in the movie. It is a gripping story and it is also a good antidote to stories of the noble Irish and the evil Brits. Please note carefully O'Flaherty's description of the leader of the organization. The author was a member of the Communist Party who had a somewhat different take on the situation in Ireland. If you want an alternative view of the Irish troubles which is also a good read this is the book for you.

Good read

I've read this book twice. It was actually better the second time. The movie adaptation is even better than the book, with the lead actor receiving the Oscar for that year. Whether you watch the movie or read the book, you can't go wrong in my opinion. The struggles of life in Ireland, the betrayal by a friend for money, and the descriptions of the characters and places kept me turning the pages.

Greatest book i've read in a while

this book is great, it deals with a friend who turns on another friend and realizes what he has done right before he dies. a great book for plot summary reports and just for all around reading.