A Short History of Ireland, 1500-2000

By: John Gibney

Narrated by: Gerard Doyle

A brisk, concise, and enjoyable overview of Irish history from the Protestant Reformation to the dawn of the 21st century.

Five centuries of Irish history are explored in this informative and accessible volume. John Gibney proceeds from the beginning of Ireland’s modern period and continues through to virtually the present day, offering an integrated overview of the island nation’s cultural, political, and socioeconomic history.

This succinct, scholarly study covers important historical events, including the Cromwellian conquest and settlement, the Great Famine, and the struggle for Irish independence. Gibney’s book explores major themes such as Ireland’s often contentious relationship with Britain, its place within the British Empire, the impact of the Protestant Reformation, the ongoing religious tensions it inspired, and the global reach of the Irish diaspora.

This unique, wide-ranging work assimilates the most recent scholarship on a wide range of historical controversies, making it an essential addition to the library of any student of Irish studies.

©2020 John Gibney (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

Good summary.

Parts flow really well and some parts are a bit dry with details that are not essential to the narrative. Overall it was good.

Political history of Ireland

My motivation for listening to this audiobook is that I am planning a short travel to Dublin, and wanted to know a bit of history of the country. I found that there is a lot to learn in the book, but its focus is mostly the political history; social and cultural aspects are dealt with only as factors that influence political history.

Audio messed up

Been trying to get into this book, but it’s pretty slow. It could be that I don’t find Catholics and Protestants fighting over religion very interesting. To make matters worse, the audio cuts out sometimes. It’s as if some paragraphs were cut out and you can only hear the last word or two. I’ll never know what I missed!

Solid survey

Broad scope and fast pace- some areas too quickly glanced over while others became a word salad of names and places

Accurate, concise, but lacks spark

While a good overview of the conflict, the book seems more oriented towards scholarly studies than for a casual reader. Frequent lists of dates and casualty numbers can make the events seem less impactful than the reality. If you’re looking for a lively and entertaining history, look elsewhere. Still, a solid foundation to learn more.