The Sniper (story)

The Sniper (story)

"The Sniper" is a short story by Irish writer Liam O'Flaherty, set during the early weeks of the Irish Civil War.

It was O'Flaherty's first published work of fiction, running in a small London-based Socialist weekly The New Leader (12 January 1923) while the war it depicted was still going on. The favourable notice it generated helped get other works by O'Flaherty published and started his career. It is widely read today in secondary schools of many English-speaking countries, due to its short length, easiness to read, and its notable surprise ending.