When young Con disappears, the others must find him – and quickly. His father Hugh O’Neill, the great Ulster chieftain, is about to depart, forever. The Irish have lost at the Battle of Kinsale, and now there is nothing left for them in their own land. Hugh’s son is in great danger – and he doesn’t even know it! What would the English do to him if they caught him? Especially now as his father may be gathering another foreign army to threaten their own conquest of Ireland?

Can his cousin and friends, Fion, Sinead and James, find him? Will their hunt across wild landscapes, through dense woodlands and over high mountains, chased by English soldiers and adventurers, and occasionally guided by the mysterious ‘Haystacks’, take them to the boy? Will they manage to get him to Lough Swilly in time for the escape boat to France? The Great Hugh O’Neill is waiting anxiously …

Based on true facts from the 1600s.

'a complex and familiar story, clearly told without succumbing to overglorification or simplification ... honestly written, maintaining the nobility of the tale ... an exceptional depiction of life in Ireland in the 1600s ... Aubrey Flegg has created a no

'I believe fiction books should be about the story first and this book is and is a very good read - the history that we pick up is incidental and very nice to have and it hasn't impacted the story ... Throughout the book they do and say things that gave m

'This is an exciting old-fashioned adventure story'.

'The complicated historical background is sketched in as the reader progresses but does not impede the story and there are useful historical notes at the end, and joy of joys there is a map! So many historical novels involve a journey and a map is essenti

'As in Wings over Delft, Aubrey Flegg mingles fact and fiction to create an atmospheric and wholly believeable tale.'

'the episodes recounting the perilous flight of the children through Ulster are fingernail-biting in the extreme. This is heart-in-mouth stuff, and it is with some regret that I reached the final pages ... thoroughly recommended for boys and girls of nine

'It’s a gripping story ... terrific read, fast-paced and exciting.'

'It’s a complicated historical backdrop and one with which many readers will be completely unfamiliar. Aubrey Flegg does a great job in explaining it.'

'memorable characters ... well plotted and fast moving with a lot of potential discussion points about friendship, trust, loyalty and teamwork. It packs a good geography lesson for those who don’t know Ireland too.'

'While most children are obsessing over vampires, this book is a great alternative to show that the thrill of a chase is not only for Robert Pattinson types.'

'This is a compelling chase story, which gets going from the first chapter and doesn't lose its pace ... suited to children in senior classes and could be used as a class novel to compliment a thematic approach in history planning.'

‘This is a compelling chase story, which gets going from the first chapter and doesn’t lose its pace. While most children are obsessing over vampires, this book is a great alternative to show that the thrill of a chase is not only for Robert Pattinson typ

'the allegiances of 17th-century Ireland come vividly to life in a well-paced story ... complete with lively heroine ... of the Flight of the Earls'

'if you'd like to keep things Irish this Christmas, try Aubrey Flegg's Fugitives, a fictional re-imagining of the Flight of the Earls which guarantees thrills aplenty and a dash of history to boot'

'well written, carefully researched'

'another way of teaching younger readers about history from O’Brien Press'

'Flegg takes a minor incident in one of the most iconic moments of Irish history and develops a tale out of it that is part adventure story and part history lesson'

'The author 'not only invents a good story that will appeal to modern readers but recreates an authenticity about the people involved and the world they lived in full of contemporary detail''

'stirring stuff for readers aged 10-plus'

'the seamless blend of fiction and historic facts gives reality to this well-researched story, which sparks with tension and excitement throughout'

'terrific story of tension, danger and conquest that will appeal to boys and girls aged eight and over'

Teaching Resources: free to view and download

• Download Teaching Guides: Teaching guide to the novel by Peter Heaney

• Download Teaching Guides: Teaching guide to the novel by Peter Heaney