Irish History

Towards the end of the 20th century, the decades of abuse and neglect perpetrated in Ireland's comprehensive carceral network began finally to be exposed. The mistreatment endured by children and...

Contraception was the subject of intense controversy in twentieth-century Ireland. Banned in 1935 and stigmatised by the Catholic Church, it was the focus of some of the most polarised debates...

On 27 December 1973 the nightmare began: late that night German businessman Thomas Niedermayer was kidnapped from his home in Belfast. Never seen alive again by his friends or family,...

The 1930s in Ireland is often remembered as a bleak period of economic stagnation and unemployment. But, 1932, hailed by the Irish Press as a 'new era', was an early...

"Great Irish Speeches" contains 50 of the most stirring and memorable speeches in Irish history. From the political oratories of Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Collins and Eamon De Valera to...

Stop the lights! It's the one you've been gummin' for - the second book of Feckin' Irish Slang that'll stop you losing the head when listening to the guff that...

This is a substantial and widely acclaimed biography of Sean Lemass, considered one of the finest political leaders in the history of the Irish state. The author explores facets of...

Elizabeth Bowen takes us on a tour through the history of the famous Dublin landmark, the Shelbourne Hotel, in this evocative account of Irish life. Looking out on Dublin as...

'The go-to political chronicler of our times' Sunday Times'Vivid and compelling ... excellent' Fintan O'Toole, Irish Times'A tremendous read. I'll be recommending it' Sean O'Rourke, RTE'Absorbing ... fascinating ... impressive...

Maire Cruise O'Brien explores the republican and revolutionary connections of her family as she was growing up, the fallout of the Civil War, and life in the Irish-speaking districts of...

A first-hand account of the 1916 Rising and its aftermath brings alive the historic events that ushered in the beginnings of an independent Irish state. A Londoner and a member...

This engaging book traces the history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age to...

When the Celts first arrived in Ireland around 200 B.C., the island had already been inhabited for over 7000 years. Drawing on a wealth of archaeological evidence and the author's...

In 2002, an eighty-five-year-old former civil servant was voted 'Irishman of the Century'. Widely regarded as "the architect of modern Ireland", T.K. Whitaker's life spans the history of the Irish...

Shortlisted for the Political Book Awards 2013 Political Book of the YearOne of the most inspiring women of our age, Mary Robinson has spent her life in pursuit of a...

Two years ago, the Irish economy was still booming; now, it faces an unprecedented crisis. There is, of course, an international context for these developments, but the Irish story -...

This is an account of how an angry young man can cross the line that divides theoretical support for violence from a state of 'killing rage', in which the murder...

A Walk Through Rebel Dublin 1916 is a comprehensively illustrated guide to the Rising of Easter Week 1916, based on the significant locations of the rebellion. Dealing separately with thirty...

`Young shopworkers on Henry Street in Dublin, who in 1984 refused to handle the fruits of apartheid, provided me with great hope during my years of imprisonment, and inspiration to...

In this personal memoir, the twice former Taoiseach speaks candidly of his family life, his experience and his estimation of the many national and international figures he has encountered through...

This condensed history examines why the Great Famine was so catastrophic, and explores its effect on Irish society and culture. It explains the circumstances surrounding the period and addresses issues...

Con Colbert was one of the lesser-known leaders of the 1916 Rising. From a comfortable background in Newcastlewest, County Limerick, he moved to Dublin aged fifteen and worked as a...

From patriots to pirates, warriors to writers, and mistresses to male impersonators, this book looks at the unorthodox lives of inspiring Irish women.In times when women were expected to marry...

On 24 April 1916, as President of the Provisional Government, Patrick Pearse appeared under the GPO Grand Portico on Dublin's O'Connell Street and read aloud the Proclamation of the Irish...

In this thought-provoking and engaging book, Malachi O'Doherty argues that division in Northern Ireland is fundamentally not about whether the country should be governed as part of Ireland or as...

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ONSIDE NONFICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018 The islands off the coast of Ireland have long been a source of fascination. Seen as repositories of an ancient...

This book tells the story of five Irish women who were unusual in a variety of ways - mostly because of their ruthlessness, political cunning or merely because they rebelled...

From Collins to Cu Chulainn and from Dev to Daniel O'Connell, this is a collection of short biographies of some of the most admirable Irishmen and women in history. The...

A gritty graphic novel about Ireland's Great Hunger. Jack and his family have been evicted by their landlord and given one way tickets to the USA. They refuse to leave...

'An incredible portal to our past' The Sunday TimesOn 7 January 1922, Ireland became a free state. Born into that era of turbulence and hope were the twenty-six women and...

In the twenty-first century there are two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland, and two very different heads of state represent the populations of Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively: the...

'A wonderful book ... a superb book and it's not just for people interested in law; it tells you a lot about Ireland' Vincent Browne, TV3The judges, the decisions, the...

1950s Ireland was the age of De Valera and John Charles McQuaid. It was the age before television, Vatican II, and home central heating. A time when motor cars and...

The first comprehensive account to record and analyze all deaths arising from the Irish revolution between 1916 and 1921"A monumental new book [and] an incredible piece of research. . ....

Ireland, 1919: When Sinn Fein proclaims Dail Eireann the parliament of the independent Irish republic, London declares the new assembly to be illegal, and a vicious guerilla war breaks out...

This history of Ireland, written by one of Ireland's most controversial journalists, studies the period from 1968 to the present day. Tim Coogan is also the author of The IRA...

In print continuously for more than thirty years, this book is long established as a reliable and affectionate portrait of Michael Collins. First, published in 1971, its great strength is...

The Irish famine that began in 1845 was one of the nineteenth century's greatest disasters. By its end, the island's population of eight million had shrunk by a third through...