Drawing on a range of material, the book demonstrates just how much death matters in wartime - not just to the individual, threatened with their own death, or the death of loved ones, but to the state, tasked with managing the deaths of its citizens in conflict.

The first comprehensive account of the beginnings of Irish foreign policy as Ireland asserted its independence by pushing the boundaries of Commonwealth membership, contributed at the League of Nations, and forged ties in Europe and America, led by a desire to escape from the shadow of British rule.

An Irish quarterly review.

"The strength of this volume cannot be conveyed by an itemisation of its contents; for what it provides is an incisive commentary on the newly-recognised landmarks of Irish agrarian history in the modern period. . . . The importance, even indispensability, of this achievement is compounded by exemplary editing."—Roy Foster, London Times Literary Supplement "As a whole, the volume demonstrates the wealth, complexity, and sophistication of Irish rural studies. The book is essential reading for anyone involved in modern Irish history. It will also serve as an excellent introduction to this rich field for scholars of other peasant communities and all interested in problems of economic and political developments."—American Historical Review "A milestone in the evolution of Irish social history. There is a remarkable consistency of style and standard in the essays. . . . This is truly history from the grassroots."—Timothy P. O'Neill, Studia Hibernica