A labour of love is how the author describes it, and after 350 easily read pages, it's well worth the journey - Irish Examiner * The Irish Examiner *Įkin is admirably surefooted as he finds his way through an impenetrable thicket of often contradictory sources and weaves his findings into an irresistibly readable narrative. a fascinating exploration of a forgotten chapter of British and European history - Giles Milton - BBC History Magazine how it hasn't been made into a movie, I'll never understand' - Ryan Tubridy * RTE Radio 1 *įascinating and readable - The Irish EchoĪn enthralling read, not simply for the story of the raid itself, which Ekin recreates with bloodcurdling vividness, but for the parallels the author draws with the current geo-political situation - The Irish Times * The Irish Times *Ī harrowing tale that sheds light on the little-known trade in white slaves.

I really can't recommend it highly enough. Publisher: O'Brien Press Ltd ISBN: 9781847171047 Number of pages: 488 Weight: 380 g Dimensions: 196 x 130 x 32 mm Edition: 2nd edition MEDIA REVIEWS Shortlisted for the Argosy Irish Nonfiction Book of the Year Award The Stolen Village is a fascinating tale of international piracy and culture clash nearly 400 years ago and is the first book to cover this relatively unknown and under-researched incident in Irish history. Des Ekin's exhaustive research illuminates the political intrigues that ensured the captives were left to their fate, and provides a vivid insight into the kind of life that would have awaited the slaves amid the souks and seraglios of old Algiers.

The Sack of Baltimore was the most devastating invasion ever mounted by Islamist forces on Ireland or England. The old city of Algiers, with its narrow streets, intense heat and lively trade, was a melting pot where the villagers would join slaves and freemen of many nationalities. The prisoners were destined for a variety of fates - some would live out their days chained to the oars as galley slaves, while others would spend long years in the scented seclusion of the harem or within the walls of the Sultan's palace. They captured almost all the villagers and bore them away to a life of slavery in North Africa. In June 1631 pirates from Algiers and armed troops of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, led by the notorious pirate captain Morat Rais, stormed ashore at the little harbour village of Baltimore in West Cork.

The stolen village by des ekin