The Battle of Kilmallock took place between 25 July and 5 August 1922 in County Limerick. It was one of the largest engagements and a key turning point of the Irish Civil War. When the Free State army captured the city of Limerick in mid-July 1922, Republican forces retreated south towards Cork and made their next determined stand around Kilmallock. This area barred the way into the heartland of the "Munster Republic." In one of the largest and most intense battles of the Irish Civil War, Free State and Republican troops fought for possession of Kilmallock, Bruree, and Bruff, with the latter two towns repeatedly changing hands. The eventual Free State victory was a vital turning point in the war.

In The Battle for Kilmallock, John O'Callaghan outlines the goals of the opposing forces, assesses their respective strengths, charts the course of the combat over two weeks in late July and early August, examines key strategies, and evaluates the role of leading personalities. This book challenges inherited wisdom about the engagement and offers sobering insights into the conduct of both sides.

John O'Callaghan is from Limerick and lectures in modern Irish and European history in the Department of History, University of Limerick. He holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from UL and was awarded an Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences' Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship during his doctoral research.