Product Description

Ian Paisley's journey is extraordinary for the sheer distance it has spanned, a journey unequalled in Irish history. But why did Paisley do it? Why did he put aside years of hostility to all things Irish, Nationalist and Catholic to go into government with the IRA's political wing? This book is an attempt to answer that question.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #207372 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 562 pages

About the Author
Ed Moloney has been a reporter covering the Northern Ireland situation since 1978 and has been Northern Editor of the Irish Times and Northern Editor of the Sunday Tribune. In 1999 he successfully defeated an attempt by London's Scotland Yard Commissioner, Sir John Stevens, to force him to hand over notes of an interview with a loyalist paramilitary who alleged a police cover-up of the notorious murder of Belfast Attorney Pat Finucane. In that year he was elected Irish Journalist of the Year. He is married with one son and is currently living and working in New York.

Customer Reviews

In-depth and superbly written
Fantastic book which helped me so much in writing my dissertation on the politics of Northern Ireland and the 'Big Man's' part in it! Paisley's political flip-flopping and dangerous words throughout the troubles are fascinating - a great read for anyone researching the troubles and wanting to go beyond the usual tired cliches on the subject! Moloney is a talent, his book on the IRA is equally fascinating!

Old and hard to find - but an excellent read
This is a really good, muck-raking biography of Ian Paisley. The authors are well-clued up local journo's who paint an intimate picture of Big Ian, with lots of fascinating detail (e.g. How Big Ian served queen and country in the dark days of WW2 by skipping off to the front-line in er,...Wales.).

Big Ian shows up as a none-too-bright personality who is usually the front man for more able and thoughtful brains (Desmond Boal in the 70's, Peter Robinson in the 90's). He is however clearly a charismatic personality who has always operated as an outsider from mainstream loyalist, orange and unionist bodies. He has been very successful in assembling his own independent power-base and it is clear he is loathed among UUP circles.

Far from the famous image of the ranting, not-an-inch mouthpiece Big Ian has actually pogo-sticked a fair bit around the Irish political landscape. The book outlines his astonishing dealings with loyalist paramilitaries in the late 70's (and makes a total mockey of his denunciations of 'terrorists'). More surprisingly it details his flirting with nationalism and the 'Dublin infidel' at the start of the 70's.

Whilst well dated now, I would thoughrouly recommend this hard to find book to anyone with an active interest in Irish politics.