A New History of Ireland

by Christine Kinealy

Irish history has been dominated by a succession of settlers, traders, invaders, soldiers and colonisers. The arrival of Patrick in the fifth century - arguably the most important settler ever - is the starting point for this concise and accessible account of 1500 years of Irish history. The coming of Christianity integrated Ireland more firmly with Europe and marked the emergence of a golden age of Irish scholarship. The arrival of the Anglo-Normans in the twelfth century signalled the beginning of Ireland's long, complex and often tortuous relationship with England, which changed the political landscape of both countries. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the Republic of Ireland is again playing a leading role in Europe - economically, financially and culturally. This general survey examines the key developments and personalities of Irish history and challenges the dominant interpretation of events such as Cromwell's invasion, the Plantation of Ulster, the Great Famine and Nationalism. A New History of Ireland provides a concise, lucid and nuanced approach to Ireland's complex and fascinating history.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Irish Literature

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 19, 2004

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5

This was just was I was looking for. A well organized history or Ireland, with about the level of detail I wanted. It was a touch dry though.

The more I read, the more I realized I assumed much more about Ireland than I really knew. I was unaware of the centuries long list of wrongs done by England upon Ireland. I also noted the similarities in policy towards the Catholics in Ireland as American policies towards African Americans. So many laws done in the name of justice or order, which really were about greed. And all the laws that resulted in the Catholics losing so much land.

[Virginia Rand · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I found the content interesting, being confronted with a wall of text for 300 pages is tiring. If you aren't already familiar with the history of Ireland, I'd suggest going into this book with pens and highlighters to try and keep it all sorted in your head.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was interested to know a bit more of the history of the country that my grandfather left in 1874.