Fighting for Ireland?

by M.L.R. Smith

Fighting for Ireland? is the first in-depth account of the evolution of Irish Republican strategy. It is highly topical in the light of the faltering peace process and the growing speculation over the IRA's next further violence or a new non-violent strategy? This new, updated paperback edition is essential reading for those who wish to disentangle the complex issues and motives behind IRA violence.
M.L.R. Smith challenges many assumptions about the IRA, pinpointing the organisation's successes as well as its missed opportunities. He demonstrates the tension the movement has experienced between ideology and strategic reality regarding the use of force, illustrating how doctrinal purity has sometimes hampered the IRA in the pursuit of its goals. Contrary to the Irish Republican movement's vigorous and assertive public face Smith uncovers an organisation characterised more by a sense of chronic insecurity than by certainty and continuity.

Genres: History

294 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 1995

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 1 out of 5]

The history of the Irish resistance to british imperialism from the point of view of the oppressor. Composed completely of unconscious racism, religious hatred, and bigotry. But a must read if you want to know why the IRA had to come into existence.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was filled with a lot of info about "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland. Most books cover just the IRA and not much mention goes to the other separatist groups. Unfortunately the book was very dry in the way the information was presented. Also the authors' bias towards the British side of the conflict was vary apparent.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author begins with examining the roots and social beliefs around Irish Republicanism. M.L.R. Smith lays out that those roots come from a period of attempted underground rebellions, revolts, assassinations and bombings stemming from a disdain for British occupation of Ireland around the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Given how the British Government’s responses to many of these crises were to concede, M.L.R. Smith argues that the Irish Freedom Fighters were boldende to continue their campaign, seeing it as the only way to change British Rule over Ireland. This created a feeling that the Irish needed to abolish all influence of British control over the Emerald Isle to see true liberation. Of note however to the information presented above was the heavy bias that the author presents. It is evident within the first few pages that M.L.R. Smith is heavily biased in his interpretation of history, making many disparaging comments of Irish liberation from a colonial government that oppressed the people. Although the analysis of history seems to be well done, the interpretations from it are highly biased.

Having just finished this book, I find it to be highly biased, poorly written. After finishing this book, the only thing I can say I enjoyed was the topic itself. The military strategy was interesting, however, the way it was written was not, and trudging through the biased interpretations made me worry about how biased the information was.