This book is a history of the Irish civil service and its response to revolutionary changes in the State. It examines the response of the civil service to the threat of partition, World War, the emergence of the revolutionary forces of Dáil Éireann and the IRA through to the Civil War and the Irish Free State. Questioning the orthodox interpretation of evolution rather than revolution in the administration of the State it throws new light on civil service organization in British-ruled Ireland, the process whereby Northern Ireland came into existence, the Dáil Éireann administration in the War of Independence, and civil service attitudes to the new Irish Free State. Based on a wide range of new sources, the book is of interest to undergraduate and postgraduate students of Irish, Imperial and Commonwealth history and of post-colonial, governance and political studies as well as a reader with an interest in the role of the State in the process of decolonisation in the 20th century.

Ireland during the period 1913–1923 was a nation in constant flux. Spanning a pivotal era marked by the Dublin Lockout, the Easter Rising, the War of Independence and the birth of the Irish Free State, Revolutionary Times captures the full complexity of this transformative decade through contemporary-style reportage, timelines of key events and insightful essays. Emanating from the acclaimed RTÉ project, Century Ireland, and distilling its essence into a captivating print form, Revolutionary Times is meticulously researched yet accessibly written and beautifully presented. Alongside the political upheaval, the book also delves into the everyday realities of Irish life during this volatile chapter – from sports and fashion to housing debates and extreme weather. Offering a rich, nuanced portrait of a nation on the brink of a new dawn, this is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the tumultuous forces that shaped modern Ireland.

All places undergo change, but in few has this change been quite as sweeping as Ireland – both the independent Republic of Ireland and dependent Northern Ireland – so it is good to see where it is heading at present. Obviously, that has to be judged on the background of where it is coming from, not only over the past decade or so but over centuries and, indeed, millennia. This new edition of Historical Dictionary of Ireland is an excellent resource for discovering the history of Ireland. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, and an extensive bibliography. The cross-referenced dictionary section has over 600 entries on significant persons, places and events, political parties and institutions (including the Catholic church) with period forays into literature, music and the arts. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Ireland.

There is a huge library of books on the Irish revolutionary period but a dearth of material on the first ten years of independent Ireland. This book fills that gap in the literature. Freedom to Achieve Freedom reviews the processes of state-building and the policies adopted in all the major areas of government, paying particular attention to law and order, the creation of the Irish public service, land, health, education and the Irish language, as well as other areas of public policy. It is easy to forget that the establishment of a stable, democratic state in the circumstances in which Ireland found itself in 1922 was an achievement unique in Europe: all the other independent states that emerged from the rubble of World War I soon yielded to some form of authoritarian or fascist government. Considered in that light, the achievement of the founding fathers of the Irish state, so ably chronicled in this book, remains remarkable.

Alvin Jackson examines the two Unions - the Anglo-Scots Union of 1707 and the British-Irish of 1801 - comparing their background, birth, and survival. In sustaining a comparison between the Unions, he illuminates the long history and current state of the United Kingdom.

How did Irish and American diplomacy operate in Washington DC and Dublin during the 1930s era of economic depression, rising fascism and Nazism? How did the Anglo-American relationship affect American-Irish diplomatic relations? Why and how did amon de Valera and Franklin D. Roosevelt move their countries towards neutrality in 1939? This first comprehensive history of American and Irish diplomacy during the 1930s focuses on formal and informal diplomacy, examining all aspects of diplomatic life to explain the relationship between the two administrations from 1932 to 1939. Bernadette Whelan reveals how diplomats worked on behalf of their governments to implement Franklin D. Roosevelt and amon de Valera's foreign policies - particularly when amon de Valera believed in the existence of a 'special' transatlantic relationship but Franklin D. Roosevelt increasingly favoured a strong relationship with Britain. Drawing on a wide range of under-used sources, this is a major new contribution to the history of American and Irish diplomacy and revises our understanding of the importance of Ireland to a US administration.

The renowned Irish historian delivers “an excellent scholarly reevaluation” of the 1916 Easter Rebellion and the turbulent decade that followed (Library Journal). On Easter Monday of 1916, the Irish Republican Brotherhood launched an armed uprising against British rule that would continue for six days. But Easter Rising was only the beginning of an ongoing revolutionary struggle. In A Nation and Not a Rabble, Diarmaid Ferriter presents a fresh look at Ireland from 1913-1923, drawing from newly available historical sources as well as the testimonies of the people who lived and fought through this extraordinary period. Ferriter highlights the gulf between rhetoric and reality in politics and violence, the role of women, the battle for material survival, the impact of key Irish unionist and republican leaders, as well as conflicts over health, land, religion, law and order, and welfare.

Receiving widespread critical acclaim when first published, Ireland 1798-1998 has been revised to include coverage of the most recent developments. Jackson’s stylish and impartial interpretation continues to provide the most up-to-date and important survey of 200 years of Irish history. A new edition of this highly acclaimed history of Ireland, reflecting both the very latest political developments and growth of scholarship Jackson provides a balanced and authoritative account of the complex political history of modern Ireland Draws on original research and extensive reading of the latest secondary literature Jackson provides an impressive treatment of events coupled with flowing narrative, delivered analytically and elegantly

An analysis of the impact of political prisoners during a period when prisons were at the heart of a series of contests in Irish history, including the violent campaign for Irish independence.