Faithful Tribe: The Loyal Institutions
by Ruth Dudley Edwards
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Hardcover (01 June, 1999)
list price: $17.99
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Reviews (5)

At last, the truth
This book is excellent and should be compulsory reading for all Americans interested in Ireland. It is a clear exposition of the traditions and religious beliefs of the Orangemen and demolishes much of the myths smeared at the LOI by anti-Protestant bigots. A very very good read and the authoress should be congratulated.

A look from a different view
As an American, I am constantly bombarded with pro-Irish, Catholic views when it comes to the state of Northern Ireland.Heck, most of us become Irish every March 17th, but finally I have found a book that talks about Northern Ireland from a view other than an Irish-Catholic one.
"A Fatihful Tribe" does very well at trying to explain a part of Protestant Northern Ireland without stomping all over the ideas of Catholics living there.Edwards did an excellent job at trying to explain the essence of the Orange Order and how it relates to many Protestants of Northern Ireland.I had the privilege of living in a small town outside of Belfast for a few months in a Protestant household, who has members of the Orange Order.Though I never went to any meetings, I did attend many events including some of the larger parades.Edwards does an amazing job of accurately describing the whole idea of the typical Orangeman and how the Protestant community as a whole is.I heard all the stories and especially the bias of "Irish" Ameicans about how Northern Ireland and how Catholics are treated.Both sides have their good and bad points and Edwards is great at showing that there is always a few people who give a whole organization, or maybe even a whole religion a bad name.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Northern Ireland.I have not found many books that show the Protestant view.But more than that, she is a person who was raised Catholic in the Republic and has chosen to be as unbiased as she can.

An important book
I was born and grew up in Protestant, working-class Belfast. I think that the Irish reviewer elsewhere is occasionally too harsh, but I think his (or her) basic premises are correct. Edwards appears to me to lean too much to the Orange side, making much of the basic decency of the average Orangeman (something which I can personally vouch for). As the Irish reviewer said, the Protestants see themselves as hard-working, clean and tidy, while the Catholics are "throughother" (lovely Northern word meaning untidy and dirty). My bitterly Orange grandmother certainly thought so. Edwards seems to accept this without actually saying so. Naughty!

The real value of this book is that it portrays the Northern Protestants as they see themselves. This is a viewpoint which the other parties, the British and Irish governments, the Nationalist/Republican parties and the IRA, ignore at their peril. These are the people whose battle cry, shouted from the walls of Derry in 1689, is "No surrender!" They will not collapse, they will not go away and if confronted, they will go down kicking and screaming all the way. They have the capacity to cause enormous damage to the whole island of Ireland. It should be compulsory reading for all concerned. ... Read more

Isbn: 0002558637
Sales Rank: 1279368
Subjects:  1. Recovery   

The Troubles: Ireland's Ordeal 1966-1996 and the Search for Peace
by Tim Pat Coogan
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 1996)
list price: $29.95
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Editorial Review

Noted Irish journalist Tim Pat Coogan covers the tortured history of Ireland from the beginning of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, through the long, horrible years of violence, and up to the attempts to find peace. Coogan, author of the definitive biography of Michael Collins, knows what he's writing about, and his access to many of the principals gives this book a particular authority. Going beyond the slogans and tabloid headlines, Coogan provides a good hard look at many of the characters, some of whom prefer to live in the shadows, who act out the deadly drama of divided Ireland. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Insightful and Eye-Opening
While Coogan's Nationalist Opinions shine through like a beacon, his revelations and information appear to be incredibly well-researched.It amazes me how bigotry on the part of Unionists (especially Ian Paisley, who appears to have given birth to the Northern Ireland version of the Ku Klux Klan), closed-minded denial on the part of British politicians, and high-handedness of the British Army brought about the failure of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Movement and led to the accession of the IRA.Even the most unbiased person, when given all the objective facts -- which Coogan's writings amply demonstrate that the British government for years effectively censored such facts -- leads to the inexorable conclusion that British and Unionists played the biggest role in leading Northern Ireland to the violence of the Troubles, and that these entities themselves created a level of violence and murder equivalent to that perpetuated by the IRA.This book is a definitive work on the issues that still plague Northern Ireland.

Unbelievably biased
This book is so one-sided and biased that it loses the right to be termed a "history book" but is rather simply a Republican propaganda exercise by a man known to be totally prejudiced against the Unionist population in Ulster. A TOTAL waste of time and money. Embarrassing actually.

Worth reading but too one sided
I read this book several years ago because I was fed up of hearing about Northern Ireland on the news and (like most people in Britain) not knowing what the conflict was fully about. However Tim Pat Coogan only half rectified this.

On the plus side this book gives a comprehensiveaccount of the main incidents, in a clear and engaging style, occasionallygiving personal anecdotes to add a more human element to the proceedings.It quickly becomes apparent that contrary to the main conception, theconflict has very little to do with religion and all to do with a typicalpower struggle complicated by nationalism and ineffectual Britishgovernmental policy. Coogan presents the horrors (and there are some verydisturbing ones) and the missed opportunities in an intelligent fashion.He's also an expert on the IRA.

Where the book falls short howeveris in it's blatant bias. Coogan is firmly on the side of the Irishnationalists (as am I), however he does not go far enough to explain theUnionist view point, thus many readers will go away bewildered at theprotestants, perceiving them as deranged orange devils, as many Britishpeople already do (though in Ian Paisley's case they may be correct). ThusCoogan is pretty irresponsible especially as this can be a very emotiveissue.

Overall, this book should still be read (it is a veryenjoyable read), but with caution or preferably in tandem with anothersource that gives the unionist side more fully. ... Read more

Isbn: 1570980926
Subjects:  1. Europe - Ireland    2. General    3. Northern Ireland    4. Pacifism    5. Peace movements    6. Political Discontent And Violence    7. Political History    8. Political Science    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Violence   

On the Blanket
by Tim Pat Coogan
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Paperback (01 December, 1980)
list price: $6.95
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Reviews (2)

STANDING UP FOR WHAT YOU BELEVE IN
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT THE DIRTY PROTEST BY THE IRA PRISONERS IN H BLOCK OF THE MAZE PRISON ONE OF THE PRISONERS WAS BOBBY SANDS. WHETEHER YOU AGREE WITH THE IRA OR NOT IT IS A TRAGIC INCIDENT AND SHOWS THE WILL AND DRIVE OF THESE 10 MEN AND ALL THERE SUPPORTERS AND THERE STANDING FOR THE THINGS THEY TRULY BELIEVE IN ESPECIAALY IN SUCH DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS. SOME BOOKS ABOUT THE TROUBLES ARE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH BUT THIS WAS A PRETTY GOOD BOOK

Unflinching Journal of the IRA's "Dirty Protest"
Published just prior to the hunger strikes of 1981 which claimed the life of ten IRA prisoners, "On The Blanket" details the so-called "dirty protest" that led up to the horrors of that year.With several first-hand accounts from prisoners and actors in the struggle, Coogan presents an unflinching account of the events in Long Kesh (the Maze) and Armagh prisons.The descriptions of the conditions in both prisons will move even the most cold-hearted reader.Coogan puts forth an important work that will stand as testiment to this troubled period in Irish history. ... Read more

Isbn: 0907085016
Sales Rank: 1767241
Subjects:  1. 1969-1994    2. 20th century    3. History    4. Northern Ireland    5. Political Discontent And Violence    6. Political prisoners    7. Prison Life    8. Prisons   

Ten Men Dead: The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike
by David Beresford
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 January, 1997)
list price: $13.50 -- our price: $10.80
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Reviews (23)

Seriously biased
Beresford tries to explain away his lack of sources by referring to this book as a work of journalism, not history.If this is the type of journalism Mr. Beresford practices, it's about high time he be employed by the Fox News channel or by Michael Moore.Very biased, writing almost entirely from the prisoners' point of view.I don't believe there is anything wrong with writing from their point of view, however, I disagree with trying to present it as "journalism."Nevertheless, this is a fascinating peek into the mind of the IRA and why they do things the way they do.

Delivery problems
The sad story of what happened when the canteen in the prison had delivery problems.

History or historical fiction?
I read this book as a text for a class I took about resistance movements. (I have my own views on the Irish question, but this is not the appropriate place to express them.) This book was certainly interesting, ..., the author dropped the ball in some places, leaving some holes in the narrative. Because of these gaps, this book was not the easiest to read. In addition, it was difficult for me to keep various groups and individuals straight throughout the book. A glossary and a list of characters would have been useful.
The thing that I disliked most about this book is that while it purports to be a history of the Irish hunger strike, the author is not a historian, but a journalist. (This is not to say that journalists can't write history, only that they write history differently than historians.) As Beresford himself notes, "Apart from the comms [IRA communications] as published, no attempt has been made to provide sources for infomation in the book. It is an exercise in journalism, rather than scholarship." (Page 1). Therefore, can this book be considered history? Given the lack of references (no bibliography or footnotes) and the obviously large amount of fictionalization, I would approach this book as historical fiction rather than history. It would be interesting to see what would happen to the story in the hands of a historian.
This is an interesting narrative and it is worth reading. However, if you want to read real history, I would suggest looking elsewhere. ... Read more

Isbn: 087113702X
Sales Rank: 250367
Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. General    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Political Repression    6. Political Science   

Some Mother's Son
Director: Terry George
Average Customer Review:
VHS Tape (02 June, 1998)
list price: $19.98
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Editorial Review

Terry George, the cowriter ofIn the Name of the Father, wrote and directed this 1996 drama based on actual events from 1981, when Irish Republican Army prisoners in Belfast's Maze Prison staged a hunger strike to protest against British prime minister Margaret Thatcher's political policies. Led by IRA prisoner Bobby Sands, the hunger strike eventually lead to the deaths of 10 prisoners, who had refused to wear prison uniforms to emphasize their identity as political (and not criminal) prisoners. But this fictionalized account is not about the hunger strikers as much as the moral dilemma faced by two of the strikers' mothers, played by Helen Mirren and Fionnula Flanagan in an emotional drama that gets right to the heart of the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland. While Annie (Flanagan) understands her son's political motivations and supports his readiness to die, Kathleen (Mirren) is a pacifist who cannot comprehend how any mother could sacrifice her own son to a political principle. The women become friends despite their opposing views, and desperately hope for a compromise in Irish-British negotiations while the hunger strikers continue to wither away. By keeping the Northern Irish conflict on such a purely personal level, Some Mother's Son both clarifies and complicates the difficult issues involved, making clear arguments for both mothers' actions in the context of a milestone event in Northern Ireland's history. The film doesn't pretend to hide its anti-British position, but the cause of death on both sides is deeply acknowledged. Through Helen Mirren's richly layered performance, Some Mother's Son asks if any belief is truly worth dying for, and poses the question on powerfully personal terms.--Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Dolby
• NTSC

Reviews (10)

SOME MOTHER'S SON
A brilliant, provacative film.Very strong performances by Fionnula Flanagan and Helen Mirren.

Some Mothers Son -The Truth Will Out.
I have watched this video several times.Everytime I see it, this movie has a different impact on me.Each time, it leaves a different mark. Cannot stress how important non-fictional stories are! The truth needs to be told, and told it was!

A powerful movie, as it should be! A brilliant movie!A must see!

Sad but true.
"Some Mother's Son" is yet another in a long list of films dealing with the strife in Ireland.This film is a thought provoking look into the world of the Irish Hunger Strike. Based around the activities of two IRA members who get captured and jailed. They fight for PoW status and begin a hunger strike to win support. One of the strikers (Bobby Sands) is elected to the British Parliament and their hopes are raised only to be dashed by Maggie Thatcher.

If you are into political, humanitarian or real life films, this film is for you. ... Read more

Asin: 0790731142
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama   

The Irish Civil War
by Tim Pat Coogan, George Morrison
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 December, 2001)
list price: $24.95
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Reviews (1)

Absolutely Breathtaking Courage
This book really portrays the hope,courage and freedom that the Irish Free State leaders possessed.The brains and guts that it took to carry out such a mission were only shown to us by MICHAEL COLLINS & EAMONDEVALERA.This book feels as if you were up there fighting with our heroes.It really makes you wish that you were there....in The Irish Civil War ... Read more

Isbn: 1841880205
Sales Rank: 834213
Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1922-1923    2. Europe - Ireland    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. History: World    6. Ireland    7. Military - Other    8. Pictorial works   

The Green Flag: A History of Irish Nationalism
by Robert Kee
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Paperback (05 June, 2001)
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Reviews (1)

One of the Best Books on Irish Political History-Ever
This is a famous and well reputed book. It has been in print now for almost 30 years-deservedly so I might add. I suspect it will still be in print another 30 years from now.
Robert Kee was a journalist and a famous World War 2 P.O.W. escapee. He writes lucidly and with great style, eloquence even. Yet above all his books are a darn good read. This book is vividly written, fleshed out with characters and facts that are dispassionatly but richly detailed.
This book follows the course of Irish nationalism from the distant past of the Tudor wars and Anglo-Scottish Settlements up through the rise of DeVelera.
Its true strength is in parts two and three which recount, in great detail, the growth of Irish nationalist sentiment (and rebellion) and land reform/Catholic emancipation, during the 19th Century. Kee demonstrates clearly the ever so slight, but vital, strand of personal connection that linked Wolfe Tones' United Irishmen to Emmet, Parnell, the Fenians and eventually the I.R.A..
Part three details the rise of the Nationalist cause in the wake of Parnell's fall and the rise of the I.R.B./I.R.A. in the late Victorian era up through the Civil war of the 1920s. This book painted very clearly the horror of the Black and Tan war as well as the subsequently even more nasty Irish civil war.
Up until the 1970s a great many people in Ireland would not even speak to each other because of the bitterness engendered by the latter conflict. It spawned Ireland's two major parties and the emotions, recriminations and even hatred caused by the Collins/DeVelera conflict still has significant effect today. This era also shaped the course of the present day three I.R.A.s (Provisional,"Real" and "Stickie").
This book does not deal with the Present Ulster 'troubles' at all. But you can not understand them, nor modern Ireland without reading this book.
Above all, this book was written in a 'neutral' fashion, by an outsider, who deeply loved his subject. It lacks the usualbombast of many other slanted histories. At the same time none of the drama, emotion, glory nor hatred are lost in the telling.
To illustrate what I mean by the above review: in 1987 I asked a series of Irish politicians of all persuasions what history book would still be in print in 2037 and what volumes would they use if they had to teach Irish history to a class at Harvard. Every politician (except the Rev.Ian Paisley) mentioned this book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0140291652
Sales Rank: 96237
Subjects:  1. Europe - Ireland    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Modern - 19th Century    6. Modern - 20th Century    7. British & Irish history    8. Ireland    9. Nationalism   

The Man Who Made Ireland: The Life and Death of Michael Collins
by Tim Pat Coogan
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Hardcover (01 October, 1992)
list price: $24.95
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Reviews (2)

A true tour-de-force
Coogan's biography of Collins is often called the definitive one and for good reason: no other author to date has undertaken the sheer level of work studying the life of Collins, period. Coogan walks the reader through virtually every aspect of Michael's life, some good, some bad, some momentous, and some minor. His preface to the American edition alone is phenomenal. His biography (as most tend to do) goes in chronological order, from Michael's birth to his poignant assassination in 1922. We are given the details of Michael's family life, his friends, his comrades, his guerrilla warfare tactics, his temperament, his favorite books, etc., etc. Coogan's chapters are as follows: The Little Fella, Easter 1916, Kicking Down a Rotten Door, The Twelve Apostles, The Year of Terror, The Sky Darkens, Peace Comes Dropping Slow, Settling This Old Strife, Fighting the Waves, Wading Through Blood, Setting up the Six, The Mouth of Flowers, and Honouring the Dead. There are also notes, an appendix, and many b/w photos. Coogan spends a good deal of time on the Easter Rising, the events surrounding Bloody Sunday, and the negotiating of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. He also addresses several of the controversial issues surrounding Michael's life and death, e.g. allegations that Collins was a homosexual, claims that de Valera might have instigated Collins' assassination, and Collins' supposed dalliances. Although Coogan's writing is not what I would particularly call easy or light reading, I do believe this selection could make a good starter book for anyone's investigation of Michael Collins. If you are interested in any way in Collins' life and times, you absolutely must own this book.

The Definitive Biography of the Big Fellow
Tim Pat Coogan's biography of Michael Collins, the legendary Irish rebel leader during the Irish War of Independence, leaves no stone unturned.It traces Collins' rise to prominence from his boyhood in nationalist Cork County through his ten years in England working for the post office and financial firms, his return to Ireland to participate in the Easter Rising of 1916, his increasing influence in Frongoch prison in Wales and in nationalist/republican circles upon his release in 1917.This biography reads more like a riveting novel given the almost mythical qualities of the central character.Coogan conveys not only the facts about Collins and his exploits during Ireland's fight for independence but also his charismatic personality, engaging wit and humor, capacity for ruthlessness, magnetic leadership qualities and passionate devotion to his country and its people.This is also a fascinatingtextbook picture of a successful guerilla war and intelligence operation led by a man with a genius for conspiracy, the so-called "Dublin Pimpernel", the most wanted man in the British Empire at that time. Highly recommended, particularly for anyone who would like to have a better understanding of the troubles in modern Ireland. ... Read more

Isbn: 1879373238
Sales Rank: 1114278
Subjects:  1. 1890-1922    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Civil War, 1922-1923    6. Collins, Michael,    7. General    8. History    9. Ireland    10. Ireland - History    11. Revolutionaries   

Behind The Mask: The IRA and Sinn Fein
by Peter Taylor
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Hardcover (01 February, 1998)
list price: $29.95
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Editorial Review

The violent struggles of Northern Ireland have consumed journalist Peter Taylor since his first assignment there in 1972. One fateful day, "Bloody Sunday," 14 unarmed men were gunned down by British paratroopers; this was the turning point in Taylor's journalistic career, inspiring him to make 50 documentaries and write five books on the troubled nation. Behind the Mask, his sixth, is a provocative foray into the organization so synonymous with violence: the Irish Republican Army and its political wing of Sinn Fein. Based on one of Taylor's television documentaries shown in both the United Kindom and the United States, he was given unprecedented access to members of the Republican movement--a rare journalistic feat. Taylor describes the interviews as "intense, often emotional and remarkably frank."

From his interviews with dozens of I.R.A. and Sinn Fein members (including some confessed killers),Taylor gained fascinating insight into the movement's past, present, and future goals. The I.R.A. is certainlynot portrayed in a heroic light; Taylor is graphic in the descriptions of atrocities such as Enniskillen and theHarrods bombing. But the I.R.A. and Sinn Fein are given a voice, and readers may draw their ownconclusions. Behind the Mask is an important book for those who want a better understanding ofthe conflict that has ripped Northern Ireland apart. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Secret History of the IRA
This is a fair and informative book on The Troubles. I've read many (Holland, Coogan, Bell, etc) and thought this one was the best until I read "Secret History of the IRA" by Ed Moloney. In terms of depth of insight and analysis, especially as it relates to Gerry Adams and the Peace Process, Behind the Mask pales.

Depressing to see the other reviews
Coming from a long family history of involvement in the struggle for Irish liberation, it's so depressing to see the same old cliches and anger in the other reviews for this excellent book.

The British never quite understood the Irish, as former British Prime Minister James Callaghan admitted in the late 1970s.They never understood the intra-community hatred, and the hatred towards the security forces.And as this book shows, the Republican movement never quite understood that the Brits were prepared to fight them to a standstill, locking down vast chunks of Northern Ireland in order to quell the most visible effects.The sympathy the British people ever had with the Republican movement was extinguished after years of dreadful attrocities on the mainland, leading to a grim determination to give UK Government permission to "take out" the perpetrators, whether in Northern Ireland, UK, or overseas.

And despite the Republican's clear intelligence, foresight and focused strategy, they failed to win the minds of successive US Governments, who were rightly embarrassed by the echolons of ignorant, ill-advised and ill-taught Americans claiming Irish roots and therefore permission to interfere.

As the US Department of State implicitly communicated to Sinn Fein and IRA after September 11, 2001: "It's over boys".

Can the Brits hear us now?
Peter Taylor has done a phenomenal job bringing the truth out about the Republican Community.He has consistently managed to reverse the British Government's efforts to dehumanise the people of Ireland. This book is a great start for anyone looking to get a better idea of exactly what Sinn Fein and the IRA are and were about. Buy the book, you can't be disappointed. Additionally, the video tape from the PBS broadcast is *INCREDIBLE*.You can order it from pbs.org - I suggest you do.It will give you more of an idea of how human these men and women really are/were. ... Read more

Isbn: 157500061X
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Contemporary Politics - Britain    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. International Relations - General    6. Ireland    7. Irish Republican Army    8. Northern Ireland    9. Political Terrorism    10. Politics - Current Events    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Violence   

Loyalists
by Peter Taylor
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 June, 1999)
list price: $27.50
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Editorial Review

Taylor ... brings to this volume years of access to major and minor figures in this history. One of the best features of his work is its precision. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Biased, ignorant brit reviewer(white-anglo-saxon-muslim)
Learn something about Irish history before you go making your all-knowing comments about Irish Republicans. The loyalists are taking up arms because of hundreds of years if paranoia built into them after stealing Irish land. They know they are wrong and that the Irish want it back. If they want their british way of life then go back to Britain. Also, the IRA should not accept british rule because you claim there are more loyalists than Nationalists. If you mean a larger protestant population in the north of Ireland than the Catholic population, you should do some research. Irish Catholics are about 50% now and will soon be a majority. Why do you think the brits only took 6 of Ulster's 9 counties? So they would have a majority population. The IRA are only trying to protect themselves from hundreds of years of english oppression. The book is a fine one and MOST people are smart enough to either keep their opinions to themselves or do more research before passing ignorant judgement on something they really know nothing about.

Account of the victorious
An interesting and detailed study of the brave defenders of Ulster and the way in which they were able to miltarily defeat the Provos. The abject surrender by the IRA to the the UVF/UFF/LVF and RHC was humiliating but necessary in order to avoid total collapse. I suppose at least that now the Provies won't need to spend their time now planning their next baby-killing stunt.

A Good Book On The Incompetent Loyalist Paramilitaries
This is actually a very good book it shows the plight of both Nationalists and Unionists in Northern Ireland, but more importantly it shows how the Loyalist paramilitaries(the UDA and UVF) although not nearly as powerfull or as well trained as the Republican IRA and INLA, have never the less been able to kill over 900 hundred Catholic civilians. The book does a good job making a distinction between members of the UDA and UVF like Gusty Spence, who did not want to hurt Catholic civilians, and depraved killers like Johnny Adair and Billy Wright, who only killed innocent unarmed men and women. The one thing the book shows exceptionally well is how the UDA and UVF were Ultimately no match for the seasoned IRA(although they try to stoke thier inflated ego's by saying they were winning against the IRA when everyone agrees they were actually losing). ... Read more

Isbn: 1575000474
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. Northern Ireland    6. Northern Ireland - History    7. Paramilitary forces    8. Peace    9. Political Science    10. Political violence    11. Politics - Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Protestantism   

The Shankill Butchers
by Martin Dillon
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (March, 1999)
list price: $18.95 -- our price: $18.95
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Reviews (9)

Response to Mr. Perry
This is a well written book that tells the story of loyalist murderers in the north of Ireland. Mr. Perry obviously has loyalist sympathies and can't seem to leave his biased opinions of Ireland's freedom fighters out of any of his book reviews. The IRA, INLA, etc. were protecting their communities from protestant invasion in the first place. The British army was sent in to protect Irish Catholic neighborhoods from being destroyed by protestants (of course that turned out to work against the Catholics too). How easily you forget to include the UVF, RHC, UDA, UFF, PAF, LVF and their intimidation and terror tactics (including beatings, burning houses, maiming, murders supported by selling cocaine and heroine). You criticise books because you say the authors demonise one side and support the other- well what do you think you are doing in your so called book reviews?You basically blame the IRA for the attrocities committed by the shankill butchers! Give me a break! You are just typical of any loyalist and have no way of comprehending the Irish Catholic experience in Ulster. In another one of your reviews you say that the Catholics aren't the only ones who have it hard in Ulster and you use the Shankill in West Belfast as your support. Well I agree that the prods in the Shankill aren't living in luxury, but you cannot say that the prods throughout Ulster have had suffered as much discrimination and abuse as the Catholics have. Try and prove that one. I have no problem with admitting my bias and I will not even try to hide it. Regardless, Ulster will be united with the other Irish provinces one day and things will be all good. 26 + 6 = 1 Do yourself a favour and check out the BBC Northern Ireland website on almost any day and you will see examples of how great your beloved loyalist gangsters and thugs are.
People should read this book and see for themselves that the butchers were extreme examples of hate and not even the IRA is an excuse to slaughter innocent civilians. Well worth the read.Erin go bragh!

Indictment of the times
A sad and disturbing book that gives an insight into the period of "civil conflict" misnamed "the Troubles".
Murphy and his accomplices committed awful crimes against innocent Roman Catholics,quite stomach churning.
I think this book has to be read with a view of the situation that was going on in Northern Ireland at the time.
These Shankill Butchers felt that they were reacting to the murderous activities of the IRA who were shooting/bombing/maiming/torturing policemen,soldiers.
As during this period the IRA and its allies the INLA were murdering people everyday.

Enter life in Belfast in the 1970's
Want to understand the "Troubles"?How about delving deep into what it means to hate for hate's sake, to police that hate with little more than detective wits, and to strive to restore order to the seventh circle of Hell.Cops with hands tied and bound, criminals with nothing but blood on their minds, the logic of US Gangster crime fades in comparison to the ancient blood feud that finds no place or meaning today, yet policemen with distractions from politics and low pay and strained home lives push on in hopes of the beucholic Irish fireside of their childhood.Take sides if you want, everyone's a loser when the aim is simply death. ... Read more

Isbn: 0415922313
Sales Rank: 147439
Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Current Affairs    3. Europe - Great Britain - General    4. Government - Comparative    5. Murder    6. Murder - General    7. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    8. Northern Ireland    9. Northern Ireland - History    10. Political    11. Political Terrorism    12. Terrorism    13. True Crime    14. Ulster Volunteer Force    15. Unionism (Irish politics)   

The Irish War : The Hidden Conflict between the IRA and British Intelligence
by Tony Geraghty
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 February, 2000)
list price: $61.00 -- our price: $61.00
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Reviews (13)

Short-term view of a long war
I think this books deserves to be labeled "good" only if you take the bare tactical or military approach.
I red a lot of NI conflict stuff in the past, and I see this one as the best source both in terms of tactics (from all sides) and warfare analysis (the most completed I ever found about the republican war machine). There are at least four whole chapters dedicated to describe the PIRA weaponry, its making, its smuggling an its use (or misuse)by the organisation. I also reccomend chapter IX, where Mr. Gherarty makes a reflexion about the survellaince and intelligence sistems developed by the British State during the "Troubles" and the aftermath and consequences to the British people such a "Big Brother" policy could have. I also should mention part III of the book, an interesting pre-independence historic account.
Put the rest to rest.
Erratic writing and typos (at least in the edition I have) match a biased and short-term vision. As an example, at some point the author states that in 1979 there were just 13 (¿?) trouble-related deaths in Ulster and that this reflected a sharp decline of violence in the province. Anybody who has ever red the basics about the NI conflict knows that August 27 1979 was one of its bloodiest days, with the killing of 23 people,18 soldiers plus 5 civilians, including Lord Mountbatten.There were almost 50 fatalities just among the security forces that year. Another biased statistic management appears in the 1972 death account: for Gherarty, ALL the civilians killed in NI this year (323) were victims of the PIRA. Indeed, as it was for the entire war, loyalist paramilitaries killed more innocent people (106) than the republican ones (88) in 1972.
Some conclusions also show the wishfull thinking judgment of Mr. Gherarty. His quotes about the PIRA as a "defeated army", regarding all the concessions they won throughout the conflict, are laughable. Yes, you can say that NI is still a part of the UK; but a part whose political system, policing, security and justice were negotiated with another country (namely the Irish Republic). Had the PIRA been effectively vanquished, all this would prove to be unthinkable. Republicans certainly failed to meet the unrealistic goal of an United Ireland under their own terms, but through the GFA, they gained full access to a non less certain road to a de facto integration between North and South. I believe the troubles were, from the military point of view, a stalemate, as acknowledges Mr. Gherarty in other chapters of his book. But a real stalemate is produced by the parity of strength between two contestants; when this parity doesn't exist, and there is still a no-winner situation; should you call that an stalemate, or a defeat of the stronger force?

Interesting
This is a good book that describes the the brutal war that was waged between the baby-kilers of the IRA and the British. It recounts how unevenly matched the British Army and the IRA were in that the IRA were more than happy to kill people because they were Protestant whilst the heroic British Army had their hands tied by the politicians. Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects in the book concerns the use by the IRA of human bombs (like Al Qaeda only these were not voluntary) and how the IRA systematically targeted women and children because of their Christian faith. But pehaps most troubling of all though was the blind eye the Irish governemnt turned to the murder of hundreds of innocent Protestants by the IRA. In response, the UVF and UFF were forced to take out hundreds of IRA activists, something which compelled the Provisionals to hastily surrender. This book is a good read but is not for the weak willed if you don't like reading how the IRA targeted young children and innocent women.

How the British defeated the sectarian killers
This book demonstrates how the IRA were defeated by the British Army. The role of the Loyalist self-defence forces such as the UVF and UFF is also shown and the role they played in bringing the PIRA to their knees. Although there is not much coverage of the sectarian tactics employed against the brave Protestant population, Geraghty shows how the IRA tried to fool the world about their true nature. He shows how they rose from a few ill equipped troops to becoming well-armed but still aiming at killing women and children because they were Protestant. The book details that ruthless war they waged against normal law-abiding people in Northern Ireland. Thoroughly outmaneuvered by the famous SAS and running scared of the mid-Ulster UVF and C company UFF the IRA put their hands up and eventually gave in, begging for mercy from the loyalists. This is an excellent book about how theProtestant population of Northen Ireland took on the tyranny of the PIRA and defeated them soundly. ... Read more

Isbn: 0801864569
Sales Rank: 740659
Subjects:  1. Counterinsurgency    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History, Military    7. History: World    8. Ireland    9. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    10. Northern Ireland    11. Northern Ireland - History    12. Political violence    13. History / Europe / General   

The Dirty War
by Martin Dillon
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (June, 1999)
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Reviews (7)

Age old problem for a modern dilemma...
In this `whose to blame' world the paradox portrayed by this work are the responsibilities involved in peacekeeping. The conflict in Northern Ireland has been a huge burden for the British, who have little real sympathy for either side.

However, the main thesis of Martin Dillon's The Dirty War surrounds the notion that covert intelligence procedures and operations, which require a greater intimacy between the hunter and the hunted, are sinister by nature. Somehow, to the uninitiated there seems to be a cleansing process associated by not knowing the enemy.

The `dirty' part of The Dirty War centers on the concept of assassination. Because, in an unconventional war much of the fighting and dying is done in the shadows, ambushes and small-unit actions dominate the battlefield. The problem then, seems to be that if the attacker did not know the identify of those killed it was war; if they did, it was assassination. The difference is arbitrary, in as much, as every soldier who responds to the will of those who make policy, and war understands the ugliness and reality of combat.

Herein lies the nexus between the historical struggle between the British and Northern Ireland, and the American forces in modern low intensity conflict. Operating in a democracy, controlled by the rule of law, the overriding principal that governs counterinsurgency warfare tactics is that of minimum force. This self-imposed code of ethics often appears to offer the insurgents an unfair advantage. However, as is the case in Northern Ireland so it is in Afghanistan, Iraq, and future conflicts to come...responsibility comes with power, and the United States and Great Britain, if they want to be treated with global respect, must exercise one with the other.

Best book I have read on Northern Ireland
There are many reasons to buy and admire Martin Dillon's 'The Dirty War,' which is nothing less than a monumental achievement in investigative journalism.Dillon peels the lid off a very large can of worms--twodecades of undercover conflict between the IRA (Official and Provisional),British Army, RUC, Loyalists and assorted other players in Northern Irelandfrom 1969 to 1990.The author's painstaking research (including manyfirst-hand interviews with participants) and scrupulous objectivity shouldmake this book required reading in newsrooms and journalism schoolseverywhere.But it's not some dry exercise.A lot of 'The Dirty War'rivals the best non-fiction crime and detective writing.Dillon knows howto tell a story.He also has a knack of involving the reader in hisexhaustive analysis of individual incidents and themes.When answersaren't evident, his not afraid to admit it; rather, he asks questions anddraws us in.This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in themodern British Army and its counterterrorist tactics.But it's not ananti-British book and it's not an anti-IRA book. It IS continuallyfascinating and, refreshingly, has a strong moral compass in the author'svalue set to help the reader through the unpleasantness.

Dillon knows his Irish history
A good book by Dillon. He covers all parts of the Northern Irish Troubles, including British Army and security forces undercover actions and the way in which the IRA use devious "honeytraps" to tempt British Armymen to their deaths. It also gives a section on the little known Loyalistparamilitary forces.I Liked this book as it was easy to read andgives a good insight into the past 30 years of the troubles. Anyone who isjust getting into Irish history and is unsure about what to read, The DirtyWar is an excellent starting point as, from the start, it gives you noillusions, even the title tells the truth. ... Read more

Isbn: 041592281X
Sales Rank: 278756
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Europe - Ireland    3. Government - Comparative    4. History    5. History, Military    6. Military intelligence    7. Northern Ireland    8. Northern Ireland - History    9. Political Terrorism    10. Political violence    11. Politics - Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Terrorism   

The Irish in America
by Michael Coffey
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (13 October, 1997)
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Editorial Review

The Irish in Americawas created, in part, as a companion to the PBS documentary series of the same name that was first aired in January 1998. Journalist Terry Golway's text provides a solid backbone to the book: she tells theusual story of Irish involvement in American politics and also sheds light on contributions that the Irish have made to American industry and culture. Golway's text is interspersed (sometimes a bit confusingly) with hundreds of illustrations, as well as with many brief essays by Irish American notables, including historians, novelists, comedians, musicians, and politicians. Two of the most enlightening are historian Ellen Skerrett's essay on the Irish American penchant for building cathedrals and Maureen Murphy's look at how Irish immigrant girls found upward mobility in America. Other essays aren't as strictly historical, but the matching of writer and subject makes them irresistible. For example, a lively contribution by novelist Thomas Flanagan on Irish Americans as portrayed in John Ford's films raises serious issues while still being entertaining (much like Ford's films). Despite a few other inclusions that may make some readers scratch their heads or roll their eyes (such as Denis Leary's essay, which contains something guaranteed to offend almost everyone), The Irish in America is a worthy effort, one that offers valuable insight into American history and the distinct role played by the Irish. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful book, well done and full of facts.
As a person of Irish descent, I was very happy to see "The Irish in America".This book is full of colorful illustrations showing what the Irish have accomplished in this country.I am referencing the book in my MA, History Thesis, this Autumn.

On page 57, however, the editors have made an understandable error.They attribute the founding of Manhattan College (1853), De La Salle University (1863) and St. Mary's (Moraga, California, (1863) to the Irish Christian Brothers.As a 1965 graduate of Manhattan College, I can tell you that these three colleges were founded by the French Christian Brothers, also know as the De La Salle Brothers.This teaching order was founded in Paris by St. John Baptist de la Salle, and predates the Irish Christian Brothers by almost two hundred years. To my knowledge, the only college founded by the Irish Christian Brothers in the U.S. is Iona College (1940) in New York. Personally, I enjoyed the book, found new facts about the Irish in America, and would recommend itto any Irish or Irish-American person.

Famous Irish offer engrossing overview of culture in USA
Coffey and Golway give a wonderful overview of the experiences of Irish men and women in the United States. Coming to the U.S. as a result of political an religious oppression, as well as a result of the potato blight in the mid-19th century, the Irish worked hard to gain respectablity and political voices as American citizens. In many cases, especially in the early 20th Century, to be Irish was to be a second class citizen in the U.S. Today's attitudes prove that the Irish have come a long way in American society from being judged as such to becoming a very proud and celebrated nationality in our country.

Coffey and Golway use numerous anecdotes, excerpts, and other quotations from famous and not so famous Irish Americans. Included in this book are Denis Leary, Frank McCourt, and a forward by Patrick Kennedy. Reflections of these Irish-American personalities on their grandparents' or parents' lives and hard work, as well as memories of Catholic school, and other aspects of Irish-American life. Glossy photographs accent each passage beautifully and add to the overall attraction of the book. Contributions by all the authors provides a celebration of Irish ethnicity and heritage in the United States that is portrayed as humorous, melancholy, but overall proud. This book accents the PBS Documentary by the same name very nicely. After reading this book, I wished in a sense, that I had some Irish heritage. ... Read more

Isbn: 0786863447
Subjects:  1. Elements In The U.S. Population    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Irish Americans    6. Minority Studies - Ethnic American    7. United States - General    8. History / United States / General   

Emigrants and Exiles: Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America (Oxford Paperbacks)
by Kerby A. Miller
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 January, 1988)
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Reviews (6)

How So Many Irish Became American
Emigrants and Exiles:Ireland and the Irish Exodus to North America is a well documented history of the emigration of more than seven million Irish people who left Eire for North America in five time periods from pre-Revolutionary days to 1921.Author Kerby Miller's research included more than 750 sources in both public and privately held collections in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Canada, 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia as well as more than 5,000 emigrants' letters,memoirs, poems, songs and folklore.

Miller begins and ends the book with recollections of Irish oral tradition to help understand the essence of the Irish emigration experience. He refers to Irish poems, songs and ballads from as early as the 11th century to explain an almost original sin-like belief that all Irish are exiles whether they emigrated or not. He explains how the Irish wake became a metaphor for the departure of the emigrants. In the last moments before Maura O'Sullivan left her mother's cottage to begin her journey to America, the old women of the village gathered `round to sing a mournful goodbye that just as easily could have been a funeral dirge:"Oh, musha, Maura, how shall I live after you when the long winter's night will be here and you not coming to the door nor your laughter to be heard!"

By the 1830s, less than 10,000 families literally owned Ireland, with several hundred of the wealthiest proprietors and large tenants monopolizing the bulk of the land.The Irish Diaspora flowed from an extreme concentration of property and power in an agrarian, export-based economy where too many people competed for too few jobs.In 1841, 80 percent of the more than 8.1 million Irish lived in communities of less than 20 houses.Most people were forced to lead lives of impoverished subsistence agriculture, poorly paid urban common labor or to emigrate.

Miller says Irish country people were "preliterate;" that is, they were illiterate while preserving a rich oral tradition and robust cultural heritage through their Gaelic language.Gaelic tradition had been sustained in Ireland by hereditary storytellers and poets who met in "courts of poetry" at farmhouses where established bards judged the compositions of their successors.Hundreds of thousands of Gaelic speakers emigrated to North America.

Music and dancing also played a prominent role in rural Irish culture from whence most emigrants came.Miller says visitors were often astonished that people so poor could exhibit such skill and spontaneous pleasure in song and dance.He quotes a traveling Englishman who observed, "We frog-blooded English dance as if the practice were not congenial to us, but here they moved as if dancing had been the business of their lives."

Prior to 1815, most Irish emigrants either were able to pay their passages or "emigrated for nothing" as indentured servants.After that, overseas demand for indentured servants practically disappeared while opportunities to earn livable wages in Ireland continued to deteriorate.A pattern of family chain migration developed that financed over half of all Irish migration after 1840.

In 1845, Ireland's population was about 8.5 million.Ten years later, after the worst of the Famine, it stood at 6 million.Many had died from starvation and disease, but most had emigrated to North America.Those who arrived in North America were temperamentally as well as economically less prepared for assimilation into their new lives abroad because of their strong peasant heritage.One Irish emigrant wrote, "Had I fallen from the clouds amongst this people, I could not feel more isolated, more bewildered."Another wrote, "We are a primitive people wandering wildly in a strange land ..."

Miller tells us at least 200,000 Irishmen served in the U.S. Civil War, the vast majority for the Union, which paid lucrative bounties to many recruits. He shares a letter from emigrant Thomas McManus to his family in Ireland in which Thomas assured them he wasn't forced to enlist, but "by `Gor' the bounty was very tempting and I enlisted the first day I came here."Thomas sent $350 of the $700 he received for joining up to help his family in Ireland. $700 was more than ten years' wages for an Irish laborer at the time.

Irish-Catholic immigrants brought their own factions, secret societies, sports and boisterous wakes to their neighborhoods and work sites in North America.Vicious battles over employment opportunities and territory were common among rival bands of workers from different parts of Ireland, as well as between the Irish and workers of other nationalities.The Irish were always sensitive to anti-Irish prejudice, symbolized by the "No Irish Need Apply" slogan, the source of which apparently was a song from England.Irish clannishness was often expressed in allegiance to strong-willed, often stridently Irish priests, to Irish street gangs, volunteer fire companies, political clubs and frequent mob actions against non-Irish competitors.The St. Patrick's Day observance was celebrated to extol Irish Catholic solidarity and build political strength.

This is not to say Irish Catholic immigrants were unified.On the contrary, Miller shows how they were deeply divided in several ways.Significant differences existed between Irish- and American-born generations, between different waves of emigrants in different stages of adaptation and affluence and between those who earned formal educational credentials and those who pursued trades and manual labor.Other factions arose between the English-speaking majority and the approximately half-million who still spoke Irish.Gender equality was also a prevalent issue between Irish men and women.In fact, Miller reports Irish-American women enjoyed significantly greater upward mobility and more successful adjustment to American society than did their male peers.

Kerby Miller's work is unquestionably a rich treasure of outstanding historical scholarship.It should occupy prime space on the shelf of anyone interested in emigration generally or the histories of the United States, Canada, Australia, England and any other country in which Irish emigrants have settled.

Pretty thorough look at the Irish Diaspora
An excellent book covering the migration out of Ireland.Miller looks at the different time periods and at the different kinds of immigration, and traces the idea of emigration as "exile."Great background materials are included, as well as good statistical appendices and notes.

Why did our ancestors emigrate?Why did some wait so long?
Many of us tracing our Irish ancestry will never really know our forebears- we may learn their names and the dates and places of their births anddeaths - but we will never know who they really were.It is to sourcessuch as this book that we must turn to flesh out the picture of the Irishemigrant and the forces that drove them from their homes - economic,social, cultural, and psychological, as well as their reactions to andrationalizations of those forces.We must then apply this information onthe Irish emigrant milieu to the framework of knowledge of our specificforebears.The book has given me a plausible explanation as to why myCounty Mayo ancestors did not emigrate until the 1880's while so many fromother parts of Ireland came over much sooner.Dr. Miller is quite detailedin his discussion of the differences in the adherence to traditional Irishculture and the Irish language that existed between the inhabitants ofwestern Ireland and the remainder of the island.A must-read for anygeneaologist seeking their Irish roots! ... Read more

Isbn: 0195051874
Sales Rank: 200476
Subjects:  1. Emigration & Immigration    2. Emigration and immigration    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Ireland    8. Irish    9. Social conditions    10. United States    11. United States - 19th Century    12. Anthropology    13. Civil rights & citizenship    14. Immigration & emigration    15. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    16. Social history    17. USA   

Belfast Diary : War as a Way of Life
by John Conroy
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (30 June, 1995)
list price: $17.00 -- our price: $17.00
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Reviews (22)

Great read
I really enjoyed this book.I thought that Conroy did a great job putting the 'Troubles' in Belfast into perspective from an American living in the midst of it all.Having visted the area that he writes of brought back memories.I referred to his map at least 50 times during my reading of the book to recall the streets that I walked in relation to where he wrote the book and spent his time in Belfast.I highly recommend this book.

An indispensable account...
of what it is like to live, work and experience the turmoil of "The Troubles." Conroy covered the Troubles the right way...he went in and lived among the people in Belfast instead of swooping in for drive-by interviews like too many journalists have done in the past. He also manages to convey what he experienced while maintaining objectivity...this skill when dealing with terrorist and paramilitary violence is something writers covering the "War on Terror" these days could learn from. Required reading for anybody interested in Northern Ireland, its history and how to possibly make a better future in that wartorn nation...

Necessary Read for the American Audience
This book was recommended to me as excellent reading about the Troubles, particularly for Americans. I whole-heartedly agree; it is all that and more. Conroy does describe the daily workings of life in Northern Ireland but he also tackles the prejudices and ignorance of Americans (and the U.S. government) when it comes to the political climate in Northern Ireland. He pulls no punches and sugar-coats no issues. He explicates the situation as he sees it and is not afraid to indict those who turn blind eyes. The version I read was older so I have not yet seen the updated book that includes information on semi-recent IRA ceasefires. But I do think many of Conroy's observations are still applicable, changes in administration notwithstanding. He describes the intolerant view towards Sinn Fein taken by the American government in the 80s and the biased, oversimplified treatment of the Troubles by the American media. Indeed as Conroy notes it has not been hard to sell the British point-of-view to American audiences but what of the counterpoint? When do proponents of the other side get a chance? Conroy also concludes that for as long as Northern Ireland remains a British enclave, continued violence is guaranteed. For that reason alone, Americans owe it to themselves to read _Belfast Diary_. ... Read more

Isbn: 0807002178
Sales Rank: 68228
Subjects:  1. 1951-    2. 20th century    3. Belfast    4. Belfast (Northern Ireland)    5. Conroy, John,    6. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    7. Europe - Great Britain - General    8. General    9. History    10. History: World    11. Modern - 20th Century    12. Northern Ireland    13. Northern Ireland - History    14. Politics - Current Events    15. Social History    16. Social life and customs    17. Travel    18. Violence    19. Conroy, John    20. History / Ireland    21. Journeys   

The End of Hidden Ireland: Rebellion, Famine, and Emigration
by Robert James Scally
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 February, 1996)
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Reviews (3)

Shocking reading about my own ancestors.
The trauma and distress my own ancestors went through during this famine period was horrible.In the ten year period Ballykilcline lost over 90% of its population from disease, eviction, emigration and death by starvation.My own ancestors lived in Kilglass Parish where they lost 55% of their population. Robert James Scally's book gave me a very clear understanding of what transpired from about 1835 to1850.

Thorough explanation of the cause of Ireland's devistation
Scally does an excellent job of using historical facts to present a better picture of a devistated Ireland.Americans in particular often misunderstand the cause of the chaos usually blamed on the potato blight.In reality, the famine was only the "icing on the cake", which Scally explains well.The first half of the book is a very detailed description of Ireland in the days immediately preceeding the famine.The second half walks us through the once-green hills of a broken Ireland, passing sunken faces and hungry eyes.Scally has been accused of leaving historical fact for emotional imagination.I submit the idea that every historian must create something from imagination at some point.Although we can read facts, we must paint the scenes in our minds.This is an excellent book to read if you are already interested in "Black '47" and is also good for the serious reader who cares to explore the Emerald Isle of 150 years ago . . . this is also an important source for an Irish-American who would like to better understand his or her roots, like me.Perhaps those of us who have ties to the isle are more likely to appreciate the suffering that happened there.

Very VERY comprehensive
I give this book a "7" mostly because Scally should get a lot of credit for all the research hedid for this book. It's very obvious. However, I would not recommend it if you are looking for a quick and easy read. This book is best for someone studying the famine and migration of the Irish to America. ... Read more

Isbn: 0195106598
Sales Rank: 405149
Subjects:  1. Europe - Great Britain - General    2. Europe - Ireland    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. British & Irish history    6. Civil rights & citizenship    7. Famine    8. Immigration & emigration    9. Ireland    10. Social history    11. World history: c 1750 to c 1900    12. c 1800 to c 1900   

The IRA: A History
by Tim Pat Coogan
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 November, 1994)
list price: $18.95
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Reviews (18)

Far from perfect but pretty darn good
In typical form, Tim Pat Coogan can be labeled nothing if not thorough. Undoubtedly a 500 page book cannot cover each important event or key figure in the IRA's fascinating, tumultuous history, but I believe Coogan makes a true effort to write a piece worth reading. He divides the text into four basic parts: Beginnings to 1969, 1969-79, 1979-86, and 1986-94. There are also appendices, references, maps, b/w photos, and a useful glossary. In my opinion, Coogan balances his personal feelings about the IRA with a decent sense of journalistic objectivism. Having said that, however, I would affirm what other reviewers have noted regarding Coogan's clear support for (or, at the very least, distant admiration of) the IRA. If you are seeking a selection from a more critical ideological position, look elsewhere. I will also agree that the text itself is in need of serious editing. It seems that there are grammatical errors on every other page and though I hate to nitpick, those errors do detract from the overall credibility of the book. Nevertheless, if you are doing any type of academic research on the IRA, I would strongly suggest this title. Beware: it does presume a fair amount of knowledge from the start so choose it after you have already gained the basics of Irish/Northern Irish history.

Somewhat Dry, but Informative
This book, in my opinion, is not for the casual reader. I picked it up, curious about the history of the IRA, and how it impacts the current peace process in Northern Ireland. It does that, and the author, Tim Pat Coogan, is very knowledgeable on the subject. However, his writing style is very dry and I often had to re-read passages. I do not mind doing this, but it did not always help much. It was a little over my head. Also, I do not speak Gaelic, so those phrases, names, and expressions were often lost on me. He also adds updates, which is helpful, but they are just haphazardly thrown in at the end of the book. I think that what this work needs is a thorough re-editing job.

A very good book, but the typesetter ought to be kneecapped!
There is more detail in this book than anyone--apart from the author, perhaps--could ever digest. But it is a fascinating account of the world's oldest revolutionary/terrorist movement. Coogan's style is anecdotal and at times sentimental. Though he is not entirely uncritical of the IRA, his admiration for their bravery and determination is obvious. The main problem with this book is cosmetic but extremely annoying: it has so many typos, misspellings and and ungrammatical sentences that it starts to detract from the book's readability. I can't believe that Coogan, who is a professional newspaper writer/editor, would have neglected to have someone proofread his book before submitting it to a publisher, so I can only assume that this was the typesetter's fault. Also, adding some translations or transliterations of Gaelic names and words would have been helpful for all of us non-Gaelic speakers. But apart from these problems, it is a very informative and enjoyable book. ... Read more

Isbn: 1879373998
Sales Rank: 891398
Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Europe - Ireland    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Ireland    8. Irish Republican Army    9. Military - Other    10. Northern Ireland    11. Violence