Showing titles in Ireland

The stories of two undercover agents: the man known as Stakeknife, Force Research Unit (FRU) agent and deputy head of the IRA’s infamous ‘Nutting Squad’, the internal security force which tortured and killed suspected informers; and Brian Nelson, who worked for the FRU, aiding loyalist terrorists and murderers in their bloody work. The inside story on: – How the British Secret Service uses informers – The recruitment, briefing and handling of spies – Murders and set-ups in Northern Ireland.

Easter Rising tells the dramatic minute-by-minute account of a heroic band of rebels who faced the might of the British Empire in 1916 Dublin. The Irish rebel leader, Patrick Pearse, perished in front of an English firing squad; however, his actions led to the eventual formation of a modern, independent Ireland. Easter rising brings history to vibrant, flaming life.

As a working-class Dubliner who played a crucial role in inspiring and leading Dáil Éireann in its formative stages, Arthur Griffith’s life and world is one of the greatest windows into understanding the dynamics of the Irish revolution. Owen McGee’s authoritative biography is based on fascinating original research and presents a fresh analysis and interpretation of Griffith’s life and the economic basis of the political history of the era. Griffith has been typified as ‘the last Young Irelander’ and Owen McGee’s masterly account reflects on this by examining the very ...

Can this deeply divided island ever be united? Malachi O’Doherty’s ground-breaking new book explores this salient question and many more. Considering centuries of history alongside contemporary issues, he looks for answers by talking to those who know the island best: those who live there. O’Doherty speaks to politicians, journalists, writers, lawyers, sportspeople and residents of both the North and the Republic, to produce the most comprehensive picture yet of a divided nation and its uncertain future. This book asks the big political questions about the prospects of reconciliation ...

Discover the Magic, Myths, and Marvels of Ireland—One Fascinating Fact at a Time! From ancient druids to modern rock stars, haunted castles to Guinness pints, 200 Fun Facts About Ireland is your all-in-one guide to the charm, wit, and wonder of the Emerald Isle. Whether you’re a curious reader, a proud member of the Irish diaspora, or simply looking for the perfect gift for a Celtic-loving friend, this book delivers a delightful mix of history, culture, and quirky surprises. Inside, you’ll find: Legendary landmarks and ancient mysteries Famous Irish figures from past and present ...

In UDR: Declassified, Micheál Smith reveals what the British establishment, the British government and its armed forces knew and had to say about the controversial regiment in recently declassified files. From its formation in 1970 as a locally raised militia, the Ulster Defence Regiment developed into the largest regiment in the British army. For unionists, service in the UDR was a noble act and often a family tradition; for nationalists, an encounter with the UDR was frequently hostile, often brutal, and sometimes fatal. To the British army, they were ‘a dangerous species of ally’, a...

On 1 November 1920, eighteen-year-old UCD medical student Kevin Barry was hanged in Dublin’s Mountjoy Jail for his role in a bungled IRA operation in which three British soldiers were killed. To this day, he remains a vibrant and celebrated icon of patriotic, idealistic death, his name synonymous with youthful republican sacrifice. His life was short, but Kevin was more than a hapless teen swept away in the revolutionary maelstrom of the time. Here, Professor Eunan O’Halpin, a grand-nephew of Barry, accesses exclusive family records and other archives to explore Kevin’s republicanism ...

One million Irish starved or died of disease while another million fled to North America, enduring a harrowing voyage fraught with danger and mortal disease. The Famine devastated Ireland and her people, while intensifying their hatred of England. This book will identify those responsible and determine their culpability.

Irish village. Viking town. English city. Proud European capital. A Little History of Dublin is a high-speed journey through a thousand years of life in the Irish capital. The key events are explained in short chapters, and the reader will discover the complete history of Dublin in the time it takes to walk from Dollymount to Dalkey. Comedy and calamity feature throughout this ‘history in a hurry’. Trevor White writes with affection for his birthplace, but also with a clarity that reflects his experience of creating an award-winning museum about the history, humour and hospitality of ...

The Troubles may have developed into a sectarian conflict, but the violence was sparked by a small band of leftists who wanted Derry in October 1968 to be a repeat of Paris in May of the same year. Like their French comrades, Northern Ireland’s ‘sixty-eighters’ had assumed that street fighting would lead to political struggle. The struggle that followed, however, was between communities rather than classes. In the divided society of Northern Ireland, the interaction of the global and the local, that was the hallmark of 1968, had tragic consequences. Drawing on a wealth of new sources ...

Step into the tumultuous world of 1922 Ireland, a nation on the brink of civil war. In this thrilling tale of daring and cunning, a band of IRA pirates set their sights on what could be the greatest heist of all time. As the IRA splits into two opposing factions, an audacious plan takes place in Cork. The target? A Royal Navy ship laden with 120 tonnes of arms and ammunition. The stakes? The very future of Ireland itself.

In 1913, before there is a rumor of war in Europe, Matthias Wrenn and Con Hatchel, lifelong friends from Ballyrannel in the Irish midlands, decide to see the world at the expense of the king of England and join the British army. A year later, while en route to India, their troop ship is recalled and they soon find themselves in the European slaughterhouse that was World War I.

It's exhausting being Irish. The constant self-flagellation is enough to put anybody off their breakfast. Why are we so hard on ourselves? Is it the postcolonial overhang following centuries of oppression at the hands of a litany of foreign invaders? Or is it collective guilt for sending Westlife out into the wider world? In Surviving Ireland, acclaimed comedy writer Colm Tobin takes the listener by the hand for a satirical romp through modern Irish life.

In this epic narrative, Myles Dungan examines two hundred years of agrarian conflict from the ruinous famine of 1741 to the eve of World War Two. It explores the pivotal moments that shaped Irish history: the rise of 'moonlighting', the infamous Whiteboys and Rightboys, the insurrection of Captain Rock, the Tithe War of 1831–36, the Great Famine of 1845 that devastated the country and drastically reduced the Irish population, and the Land War of 1878–1909, which ended by transferring almost all the landlords' holdings to their tenants.

This is the first complete history of the Irish Post Office, an institution which has been at the heart of Irish life for over 300 years. It tells the story of how a small letter office grew into one of the greatest departments of State, influencing developments in areas of life which ranged from transport and communications to economics, technology and national identity. From the early days of postboys and packet ships to the introduction of the telegraph and telephone, the Post Office has played a vital role in communications, delivering mail to all parts of the island, maintaining ...

Are you ready to embark on a gripping journey through Ireland's financial turmoil? Join us as we unveil the heart-pounding tale of risk, leadership, and economic survival in "Ireland's Bailout Backstory." This captivating ebook delves deep into the controversial decisions that defined Ireland's darkest financial hour, with Brian Lenihan at the center of this high-stakes game. Pain: Imagine a nation teetering on the edge of economic collapse, where every decision could lead to disaster. The pain of uncertainty, the agony of financial instability, and the desperation of leaders trying to keep...

Continuing his exploration of British history, Timothy Venning examines the turning points of the period from the death of William I to the reign of Edward III and a little beyond. He discusses the crucial junctions at which history could easily have taken a different turn and analyzes the possible results.

Irish author Bram Stoker is considered one of the masters of Gothic horror, in large part due to his creation of one of modern culture’s most enduring villains, Count Dracula. Making a life first in civil service and then in the theater, Stoker drew upon his personal experiences, his deepest fears, and the larger-than-life people in his inner circle to create his timeless masterpiece, cementing his own immortality in the process.

As the train rattled westward on the outskirts of Dublin, James Berry didn’t stand out amongst his fellow passengers, but they couldn’t see the long, Italian silk rope coiled in the black leather bag by his side, nor the white cap and pinion straps, nor the revolver in his coat pocket. Galway, the winter of 1885. The violent murders of John Moylan, killed on a dark country lane, and Alice Burns, shot dead in the dining room of the Royal Hotel, have shaken the county. Now, following painstaking investigations and charged courtroom drama, justice beckons for the guilty parties.

Through the centuries, the good folk in Ireland have grown pleasant traditions and habits to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child during Christmas. However, Christmas in Ireland does not just celebrate one or two special days; Christmas lasts 12 days, and perhaps even a little bit longer. An Irish Christmas and the Storyteller, set in 1894, introduces one of the many country villages in Ireland and the eager villagers' preparations to get ready days and weeks ahead.