A former rival and associate of Whitey Bulger tells all in this true crime memoir about the inner workings of life in the Irish mob Perfect for readers of Say Nothing , Black Mass , and Paddy Whacked “Even as he chases someone with a rifle through South Boston, he's the sort of guy you want to root for. . .” — The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune ** 20th Anniversary Edition ** A Boston Globe Bestseller ** A Criminal and an Irishman is the story of Pat Nee’s life as an Irish immigrant and Southie son, a combat marine in Vietnam and convicted IRA gun smuggler, and a former rival-turned-associate of James “Whitey” Bulger. His narrative transports readers into the criminal underworld, taking them inside preparation for armored car heists, gang wars, and revenge killings. Nee details his evolution from tough street kid to armed robber to dangerous potential killer, disclosing how he used his underworld connections as a secret operative for the Irish Republican Army. For years, Pat smuggled weapons and money from the United States to Ireland — in the bottoms of coffins, behind false panels of vans — leading up to a transatlantic shipment of 7 ½ tons of munitions aboard the fishing trawler Valhalla. No other Southie underworld figure can match Pat’s reputation for resolve and authenticity.