A Criminal and an Irishman: The Inside Story of the Boston Mob - IRA Connection

Before purchasing this book, I questioned whether I could take learning any more details of "Whitey" Bulger and the many crimes he committed. On the other hand, I found the background of the author, Patrick Nee, intriguing. Like Nee, I am a former Marine that can trace family members back to Galway including a branch with the same last name as Patrick's. So I took a chance and was glad to find that the book is interesting and well written, although there is a small portion on Marine boot camp that may be a bit vulgar for some readers.I am fairly certain Patrick Nee could not reveal all the details of his past criminal activities and associations but what he did cover seemed credible. Despite the common belief, Patrick indicates that "Whitey" Bulger was not a dedicated IRA supporter. According to Patrick, Bulger was aware of the gun running operation aboard the "Valhalla" and the "Marati Ann" but not directly involved nor particularly concerned with the success of the mission. Unlike Bulger, Patrick was strongly committed to the cause of Irish independence and eventually served prison time for his role in the daring arms shipment. Reading this book, I could not help but wonder whether Bulger was the actual informer that revealed the details of the gun running operation to US and British authorities. I also wondered how useful much of the cargo would have been had it reached the IRA. Most of the armaments were decommissioned military surplus that should have been difficult maybe impossible to restore to operational quality.

THIS BOOK WAS MERELY ''OKAY.'' HAVING READ EVERY BOOK WRITTEN ON WHITEY BULGER I FOUND THIS DULL BY COMPARISON. PATRICK NEE IS A VERY FRUSTRATING CHARACTER TO BEGIN WITH AS I FEEL HE SHOULD BE IN PRISON FOR THE MYRIAD OF HORRIBLE CRIMES HE HAS COMMITTED OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING MURDER. SO, I WAS TOTALLY UNSYMPATHETIC OF THIS THUGOFF THE GET-GO AND CANNOT STAND THE WAY HE GLORIFIES AND JUSTIFIES HIS LIFE OF CRIME THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, ESPECIALLY HIS LAME EXCUSE OF DOING IT IN THE NAME OF AIDING THE CAUSE OF IRELAND'S IRA. ROBBING BANKS TO GIVE THEM A PERCENTAGE OF THE MONEY HE GARNERED? 30% OF HIS TAKE? SERIOUSLY? SENDING THEM ILLEGAL ARMS, ETC. PROVIDING THE USE OF HIS BROTHER'S VACANT HOME (AKA ''THE HAUNTY'') FOR BULGER AND FLEMMI TO COMMIT AUTRO,CIOUS MURDERS THERE AND BURY THE VICTIMS IN THE BASEMENT, TWO OF WHICH WERE YOUNG WOMEN? AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED HE IS EVIL TO THE CORE...PERIOD AND BRAGS ABOUT HIMSELF THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. SICKENING.

You don't have to approve of the lifestyle choices of this thug to enjoy what is a great story. This is not really a morality tale per se although from the writer's warped perspective there is the redeeming aspect of the the whole in that Nee's passion was supporting the IRA terrorists by buying and shipping a huge magnitude of firearms for the "soldiers" to use to fight for their freedom. ( Great pains are taken to keep the arms dry so they are outfitted with plastic bags that the IRA soldiers store in the bogs ) A million dollars worth are shipped "free of charge" by the Boston irish patriots-I won't spoil all the fun for you readers. Whitey is only a supporting player in this particular shenanigans , but he does get artfully dissed which is a small pleasure... The bottom line is that all that honor and bravery aside,there was no small amount of criminal shake downs, thefts, and all sorts of nefarious doings that supported the criminals self and family , but then again- he never said he was a "good guy" !

Excellent. I should say that I was one of the FBI agents arresting Pat Nee and his gang in the first chapter. Its interesting to read his perspective of what happened and compare it to what we knew at the time. I vividly recall taking him and his gang to court later that same day for their initial appearance. Pat's book is an example of fine narrative non-fiction.

There was something lacking in this autobiography written by Patrick Nee. I felt some empathy for him initially but he lost his credibility somewhere along the way. I suspect he really was an FBI informant just like Whitey Bulger was. Although I enjoyed his description of what it was like to grow up in South Boston, along with how he turned to crime full time, he came across as disingenuous and hypocritical. Something tells me he was involved in more murders than he admitted to n the book.

I would have given this book five stars, but four is the highest I go. Fantastic read, and factual, from all I've heard, read, and observed. Coming from the South Shore in Massachusetts and working in Law Enforcement for 25 years with two thirds in plain clothes I feel as though I'm somewhat connected to these stories of James Whutey Bulger. I would recommend Patrick Nee's book to all my reading friends. His writing of his own story is do much better than a reporters one sided agenda. Although Dick Lears books are very good as well. Amazon has the best selection of writings on the Bulgers.

Nee's true-crime memoir about his days running with Southie's Irish Mob and working with rogue IRA members is pretty intriguing. His descriptions of life in old Ireland and secret meetings with the IRA and other Boston hoods (most notably, none other than Whitey Bulger, of course) in the 80s are a fun read. Nee, a retired Southie hood and die-hard Irish nationalist, wrote a fairly decent book here but will not appeal to all gangster fans. I surely enjoyed it but plenty of other books on the Boston Irish Mob that overshadows this.3 stars.

I have read a lot of books on the irish american underworld and the troubles in northern ireland recently, and what i can see about this one is that whilst different as it does show an actual inside look at the issue it is from an EXTREMELY biased view point. That is the guy seems all too happy to support the IRA and highlight their cause whilst discussing the 'attrocities' that the british forces committed, yet he is forgetting that the IRA did the same if not worse. He also seems to reminice romantically about the Marine's and highlighting his involvement which does seem to get rather tiresome after a while. Leaving out the above it is a rather good book, it provides that inside knowledge/OPINION about the issue. But as i have said make sure you read it with a pinch of salt.

boston irish gangsters

cool book has some interesting claims on whitey Bulger who knows If any of them where true or not haters or gon hate this book dragged on a lot while I was reading it there was times where I almost gave up on the book then there would be a excitng twist and it would capture me again. The authors a bit of a bleeding heart not really a stone cold gangster like a lot of the italian wiseguys who are more interesting to read about.

great book, fairly quick read but informative.a good page Turner. I may have enjoyed the book a bit more seen I am from galway but i recommend it

better than the movie "black Mass".straight from the heart.