Irish Century: The Hulton Getty Picture Collection

by Michael MacCarthy Morrogh

From the poetry of Yeats to the strife between landlords and tenants to the terrors of Bloody Sunday and the struggle for peace, "The Irish Century" explores the Emerald Isle's unique history, culture, and people with an intimacy that only imagery can bring to the page. 300 photos.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Ireland

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the book I'd been looking for - one to get me from the end of the Great Shame up to 1916, because I couldn't believe that nothing happened. As it turns out, nothing obvious happened. Home Rule was defeated twice despite the best efforts, but those who defeated it "allowed" measures for land and social reform to pass to the whole home rule idea would go away. Basically, the typical approach that Britain had to her colonies - only this colony was right next door and had a large British-identified population in the north. Politics happened, a failure to notice when policies should change happened, but mostly people went about their lives. It really starts with 1898, but does some reasonable back-fill, and then provides a good survey of the next 100 years.

The pictures are wonderful, and the writing is quite good - not what I expected in a large coffee-table-esque book. I was often surprised by witty comments, and certainly the author has an opinion about people and events. I'm pretty sure he was not a de Valera fan, and Ian Paisley doesn't shine as a bright light of moderation (not that he would anyway...).

[Bradley White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reading, great photographs. From the 1900’s to the present day, an insight to the terrible history under the yoke of the British, and their eventual freedom (except for that wart called Northern Ireland).

Highly recommended.