Des Ekin is a retired journalist and the author of four books. Born in County Down, Northern Ireland, he began his career as a reporter. After spending several years covering the Ulster Troubles, he rose to become Deputy Editor of the Belfast Sunday News before moving to his current home in Dublin. He worked as a journalist, columnist, Assistant Editor and finally Political Correspondent for The Sunday World until 2012. His book The Stolen Village (2006) was shortlisted for the Argosy Irish Nonfiction Book of the Year and for Book of the Decade in the Bord Gais Energy Irish Book Awards 2010. He is married with a son and two daughters.

excellent popular studies

• Preface 11Part IEast by Sou’-East 171. Pirate Pilgrimage the First 18Dalkey, Tramore, New Ross, DublinOn the Trail of McKinley’s Gold 212. Pirate Pilgrimage the Second 42County Meath‘I’ll Make You Officers … in Hell.’ 443. Pirate Pilgrimage the Third 54Wexford TownWilliam Lamport, the Wex-Mex ‘Zorro’ 564. Pirate Pilgrimage the Fourth 66Saltees, Dublin City, RushThe Three Privateers and the Rebel Yell from Rush 69Part IISouth by Sou’-West 915. Pirate Pilgrimage the Fifth 92Waterford, Roaring Water Bay‘He Led Them in a Carol, Then Clapped Them in Irons’956. Pirate Pilgrimage the Sixth 105Kinsale, Carolina, CaribbeanAnne Bonny, Scourge of the Caribbean 108 7. Pirate Pilgrimage the Seventh 123Cork City, Brazil, BostonThe Strange American Odyssey of Peter Roach 1298. Pirate Pilgrimage the Eighth 143Berehaven, Leamcon, Baltimore, Valentia IslandThe Hellhounds of Dog’s Leap and the Pirate Armadas of West Cork 1459. Pirate Pilgrimage the Ninth 166CastleislandThe Framing of William Marsh169Part IIIWest by Nor’-West 18910. Pirate Pilgrimage the Tenth 190Clare IslandGrania Mania 19411. Pirate Pilgrimage the Eleventh 221Broad HavenThe Admiral, the Pirate, the Chieftain and his Daughters 22512. Pirate Pilgrimage the Twelfth 233Killybegs‘Twenty Good Men Could Cut Their Throats’ 23713. Pirate Pilgrimage the Thirteenth 251Dunfanaghy, Achill IslandThe World’s Most Wanted Man 254Part IVNorth by Nor’-East 27114. Pirate Pilgrimage the Fourteenth 272PortrushBlack Tom, the Scummer of the Sea 27515. Pirate Pilgrimage the Fifteenth 283Carrickfergus‘I Drew My Sword for the Rights of Men’ 28516. Pirate Pilgrimage the Sixteenth 294Belfast, Holywood, Bangor, DonaghadeePirates and Belfast Lough 29617. Pirate Pilgrimage the Seventeenth 308Rathlin, Inishowen, Howth, Strangford, DublinThe Viking Pirates, the Irish Slavemaster and the Captive Princess 31318. Pirate Pilgrimage the Eighteenth 330RingsendThe Puzzle of the Ouzel 334Acknowledgements 349Source Notes 351