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Irish Times Book of 1916 Rising by Shane Hegarty and Fintan O'Toole
This book focuses on the events of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland, rather than the background and the consequences. In a widely expanded version of the supplement that appeared in The Irish Times in March to commemorate the 90th Anniversary, The 1916 Rising recreates the actual course of events during that tumultuous week, based on contemporary witnesses, memoirs and later recollections. It adds up to the most comprehensive and accessible account of Easter Week in print.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 17, 2025
I've read this book four times already, on top of Tim Pat Coogan and his body of works, this is a significant investment and worth having in one's collection.
It uses all the photos which were published at the time of the Easter rising, and also includes high quality scans of the documents which were issued between the leadership and those who were in the field. It covers everything - the uncertainty of actually undertaking the Easter Rising, the declaration of 1916, the experience of being at the receiving end, the failure of implementation, the inevitable execution of the leadership. It also highlights the strength of character, and even the subtle acknowledgement between the enemies which was not often appreciated.
It has the statements from all the persons who were directly involved at the time when this book was published, including those who were still alive in 2016 when this book was published.
What makes it really standout as far as books are concerned, is just... the upfront nature with which it is stating what happened and when it happened.
It is substantially a good book, worth reading. It doesn't hide what happened, and who happened and where it happened. It provided a clear narrative of what was achieved and where it was achieved. Overall, it is recommended reading. Especially if you are currently in Ireland and want a backdrop to why Anglo-Irish relations are the way they are.
It uses all the photos which were published at the time of the Easter rising, and also includes high quality scans of the documents which were issued between the leadership and those who were in the field. It covers everything - the uncertainty of actually undertaking the Easter Rising, the declaration of 1916, the experience of being at the receiving end, the failure of implementation, the inevitable execution of the leadership. It also highlights the strength of character, and even the subtle acknowledgement between the enemies which was not often appreciated.
It has the statements from all the persons who were directly involved at the time when this book was published, including those who were still alive in 2016 when this book was published.
What makes it really standout as far as books are concerned, is just... the upfront nature with which it is stating what happened and when it happened.
It is substantially a good book, worth reading. It doesn't hide what happened, and who happened and where it happened. It provided a clear narrative of what was achieved and where it was achieved. Overall, it is recommended reading. Especially if you are currently in Ireland and want a backdrop to why Anglo-Irish relations are the way they are.
September 18, 2024
Based on a newspaper supplement, this takes the reader through the days of the Easter Rising in Dublin in 1916. Well designed and illustrated, it provides a good overview of its subject
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews