This book gives an insight into the Irish revolution, and seeks to explain how it came about, through a study of events at a regional level. County Longford was the scene of Sinn FÈinís crucial by-election victories in 1917 and an active area of IRA operations during the War of Independence. Sinn FÈinís victory in the by-election acted as a catalyst for the rapid spread of the movement throughout Longford in the latter half of 1917. Marie Coleman discusses the political aspect of the revolution by examining the importance of administrative charges as Sinn FÈin and D·il .ireann usurped the functions of the courts and local government, and then goes on to describe the military side of the revolution. A narrative account of the War of Independence and Civil War in Longford is followed by a personnel profile of the Volunteers and Cumann na mBan respectively, outlining their activities at various stages of the independence campaign, and examining their motivation for joining these organisations and engaging in violent activity.

This concise study of Ireland’s revolutionary years charts the demise of the home rule movement and the rise of militant nationalism that led eventually to the partition of Ireland and independence for southern Ireland. The book provides a clear chronology of events but also adopts a thematic approach to ensure that the role of women and labour are examined, in addition to the principal political and military developments during the period. Incorporating the most recent literature on the period, it provides a good introduction to some of the most controversial debates on the subject, including the extent of sectarianism, the nature of violence and the motivation of guerrilla fighters. The supplementary documents have been chosen carefully to provide a wide-ranging perspective of political views, including those of constitutional nationalists, republicans, unionists, the British government and the labour movement. The Irish Revolution 1916-1923 is ideal for students and interested readers at all levels, providing a diverse range of primary sources and the tools to unlock them.

This concise study of Ireland’s revolutionary years charts the demise of the home rule movement and the rise of militant nationalism that led eventually to the partition of Ireland and independence for southern Ireland. The book provides a clear chronology of events but also adopts a thematic approach to ensure that the role of women and labour are examined, in addition to the principal political and military developments during the period. Incorporating the most recent literature on the period, it provides a good introduction to some of the most controversial debates on the subject, including the extent of sectarianism, the nature of violence and the motivation of guerrilla fighters. The supplementary documents have been chosen carefully to provide a wide-ranging perspective of political views, including those of constitutional nationalists, republicans, unionists, the British government and the labour movement. The Irish Revolution 1916-1923 is ideal for students and interested readers at all levels, providing a diverse range of primary sources and the tools to unlock them.

Was there an Irish Revolution, and - if so - what kind of revolution was it? What motivated revolutionaries and those who supported them? How was the war fought and ended? What have been the repercussions for unionists, women and modern Irish politics? These questions are here addressed by leading historians of the period through both detailed assessments of specific incidents and wide-ranging analysis of key themes. The Irish Revolution, 1913-1923 provides the most up-to-date answers to, and debate on, the fundamental questions relating to this formative period in Irish history. Clear coverage of the historiography and a detailed chronology make this book ideal for classroom use. The Irish Revolution is essential reading for students and scholars of modern Ireland, and for all those interested in the study of revolution.

Drawing on an impressive array of sources, author Pat McCarthy has produced the first comprehensive history of County Waterford during the turbulent and extraordinary years of the Irish Revolution. He reveals what life was like for the ordinary men, women, and children of city and county during a period that witnessed world war and domestic political and social strife. As the home constituency of John Redmond, leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, Waterford city shared in his apparent triumph between 1912 and 1914 when he was on the cusp of achieving home rule. The city faithfully supported his wartime policies and benefited from the consequent economic boom. On Redmond's death, that loyalty was transferred to his son amid bitter political violence. After the general election of 1918, Captain William Redmond described his Waterford city constituency, the only one outside Ulster to return an Irish Party MP, as 'an oasis in the political desert that is Ireland.' Waterford city's allegiance to the Redmonds, its support for the British war effort, and a strong labor movement combined to make the city a social and political battleground. By contrast, County Waterford reflected the nationwide trend and was swept along by the rising Sinn Fein tide. It also participated actively in the War of Independence. In 1922 and 1923, both city and county were convulsed by the Civil War and bitter labor disputes. This wide-ranging study offers fascinating new perspectives on Waterford during the Irish Revolution. (Series: Irish Revolution, 1912-23) [Subject: History, Irish Studies, Politics]

A ground-breaking history of the twentieth century in Ireland, written on the most ambitious scale by a brilliant young historian. It is significant that it begins in 1900 and ends in 2000 - most accounts have begun in 1912 or 1922 and largely ignored the end of the century. Politics and political parties are examined in detail but high politics does not dominate the book, which rather sets out to answer the question: 'What was it like to grow up and live in 20th-century Ireland'? It deals with the North in a comprehensive way, focusing on the social and cultural aspects, not just the obvious political and religious divisions.