For the Cause of Liberty: A Thousand Years of Ireland's Heroes

by Terry Golway

Ireland's struggle for freedom reaches back much further into the annals of history than most of us can imagine. Since the eleventh century, when legendary king Brian Boru united the chieftains of Ireland to resist Viking invasion, countless individual leaders have fought to preserve and protect Ireland's political and cul-tural autonomy. In a chronicle of unprecedented breadth and authority, For the Cause of Liberty tells the stories of these heroes -- including both men and women, Catholics and Protestants -- who enabled the Irish to free themselves from the yoke of colonial oppression.
Journalist Terry Golway reconstructs the entire thousand-year history of Irish nationalism, covering each benchmark event in Ireland's political evolution and presenting a vivid, epic tale of both the famous and unsung patriots who changed the course of Ireland's history. Among these are Wolfe Tone, a leader of the 1798 rebellion who cut his own throat rather than submit to a hangman; Kevin Barry, executed at age eighteen rather than turn informer on the eve of independence in 1921; and Bobby Sands, an IRA militant who died on a hunger strike in 1981, calling international attention to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
The engaging and admirable story of how the Irish have saved themselves, For the Cause of Liberty is a peerless work of scholarship, and it offers a fresh context for the ongoing discussion of Ireland's political future.

Genres: Ireland, History, European History, Nonfiction, Irish Literature

400 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2000

About the author

Terry Golway is a journalist, historian and the author of more than a dozen books. His latest, "Terror From America," is his first novel. It takes place in New York and London as Irish Americans are using politics and violence to win freedom for Ireland. In the novel, Sherlock Holmes arrives in New York to break up the conspiracy.

Golway has worked for the New York Observer, the New York Times and Politico, and has written for many other publications, including America magazine and the Irish Echo. He is an adjunct professor of history and political science at the College of Staten Island, his alma mater. He also holds a Ph.D. in US History from Rutgers University.

Reviews

[Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

26+6=1

[Ed Quigley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable if almost impossible to fully cover 1000 years in 300+ pages.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cursory look at Irish history from the tribes of the early first millenium up through the Troubles to the year 2000. Having known very little about Irish history, this was a good overview but I have to stress that it is very, very broad. With such a large span of time to cover in just over 300 pages, you're bound to miss out on a lot of important details. The fact that the portion of the book dedicated to the Irish Civil War pot-independence was only given about 8 pages, however, seemed a bit lacking.

If you've read Wikipedia articles on Irish history, then find a book that delves deeper into specific aspects of Irish history in which you're interested.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long been interested in Irish history but could never quite grasp the centuries of convoluted struggle with Great Britain. This book was invaluable in deepening my understanding of some of the bigger events and figures and I happened to read it shortly before viewing the film The Wind That Shakes The Barley so that I was able to enjoy it with greater sympathy and understanding.Good supplements to this are How The Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill and Ireland:A Novel by Frank Delaney.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not detailed enough to be tedious like many Irish histories, however in certain sections the book lacks appropriate detail (i.e. The Irish Civil war is only covered in one and a half pages). The author of course has a liberal leaning which is common given this subject,i.e. he damns the North for not providing economic opportunities when the Republic failed to do the same. I would recommend this book to people wanting a short introduction to Modern Irish History.

[Ty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, not that great a book. By trying to tell Irish history biographically instead of chronologically, Golway doesn't build up the tension around climatic events, and often ends up telling a just plain confusing narrative. The one exception, though, was the section on the IRA and Orangemen in Northern Ireland; it is a little partisan towards the Republicans, but well told.

[Bap · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father would poke around at the Strand and buy dollar books. This one in 370 breezy pages recounts the heros in Ireland's struggle for freedom. It is suprisingly good. A treat I offer to one and all for St. Patrick's day.

[John McCaffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provided me with knowledge and a new insight into the struggles faced by Ireland over the course of its history. The book nicely balances larger political movements and rebellious actions with the personal stories of the people that sacrificed soul and body for independence.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Maybe a little bias towards the Irish Catholics. Interesting read, but it is very broad. It is also incredibly fascinating in its depiction of Irish Rebellion throughout the past 1000 or so years.

[Timothy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

saoirse! tiocfaidh ar la!

[Paddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average at best.

[Theresa Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

So wonderful, so easy to follow

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

it'll make you hate the british, and with good reason