In the late 1990’s, Jim McComish completed his degree in Management and Business Studies at Queen’s University, Belfast. While studying a local history module, he was inspired to trace his own heritage, and was able to track his own family tree, from Belfast to Bainbridge, back to 1780’s.

Jim discovered his ancestors were a generous Protestant family who contributed to building the Catholic Church in the area in 1829.

Jim went on to complete a Masters Degree in Irish Cultural Heritages, during which time, after reading about Naiose O’Haughan, the Cavehill Highwayman in Cathal O’Byrne’s As I Roved Out, he became fascinated with Rapparees; the name given to irregular Irish soldiers who operated in small bands during the Williamite wars.

Influenced by the works of William Carleton and John Heron Lepper, Jim combined his passion for history, ancestry and his love of fiction to write his debut novel The Reluctant Rapparee which was published in December 2015, and his second book is currently a work in progress.