A Rocky Road: The Irish Economy Since the 1920s

by Cormac Ó Gráda

Today it is Irish economic success that captures the headlines. Yet only a few years ago, the emphasis was on how to explain why Ireland had failed to deliver employment and economic growth. Is Ireland's recent economic growth merely compensation for for opportunities postponed earlier? Or does it mark the beginning of a new, higher growth-path for the southern economy?

Ireland's history since the formation of the Irish Free State offers an interesting case study in economic experimentation and lessons learned. From the relatively backward economy of the 1920s and 30s, through to the 'golden age' of the 1960s and early 70s, Ireland did not make up much ground. A decade ago no economic model could predict that in the 1990s Ireland's economic future would look brighter than in any decade since the 1960s.

Cormac Ó Gráda's latest study provides a fresh and wide-ranging account of the fortunes of Ireland's economy since independence. Its broad scope and comparative perspective make this an ideal book for both students of economic history and the more general reader interested in the historic roots of Ireland's relative prosperity in the 1990s.

Genres: Economics

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1997

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent short history of the Irish economy from independence to the first growlings of the Celtic Tiger.