Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #318138 in Books
• Published on: 2000-07-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 832 pages

Synopsis
An updated edition of this unique, bestselling history of the IRA, now including behind-the-scenes information on the recent advances made in the peace process. Tim Pat Coogan's classic The IRA provides the only fair-minded, comprehensive history of the organization that has transformed the Irish nationalist movement this century. With clarity and detachment, Coogan examines the IRA's origins, its foreign links, the bombing campaigns, hunger strikes and sectarian violence, and now their role in the latest attempt to bring peace to Northern Ireland. Meticulously researched, and backed up by interviews with past and present members of the organization, Tim Pat Coogan's book is an authoritative and compelling account of modern Irish history from the point of view of one of its most controversial major participants.

Customer Reviews

A great history, complete and engaging.
This is probably the most complete and authoritive work on the IRA. It has been recommended as pretty much standard reading for anyone studying the subject. The latest edition of this book is the culmination of almost 2 decades of exhaustive research entailing many updates, and not only this, but Coogan writes in a straightforward no-nonsense manner which makes this hefty tome easy to read and understand. Put simply, no bookshelf of any self-appreciating student of politics should be without it.

Shocking..
When asked to title this review that was the only word that sprung to mind.
The behaviour of the british government, the vehemence of the Irish reaction and the utter ignorance of some peoples views are overwhelming to me as an A level student.
Yes, Coogan has radical views, and yes its unlikely that this book could be used on its own as an account of events, but this book should not be diregarded by any means. It is the blatant disregard of opinion that led to these events in the first place.

IRA propaganda
"The IRA" is nothing but irish republican propaganda from beginning to end. The book goes out of it's way to make the reader sympathise with the provisionals which he compares to the ANC in South Africa. The book basically says that everything was the fault of the unionists and the British. The wrong-doing of the Brits and Unionists is prominent in the book whilst IRA atrocities are either ignored, downplayed or the victims are blamed. There is a whole section about "the use of torture". Not IRA use of torture which is never mentioned but only brutality by the brits and RUC. He deals with the killing of two children in Warrington by basically going on about how stupid and ignorant the english people are and about how they don't care about the catholics in NI. If you are a brit-hating Irish-American from boston you will love this book. If you want to be educated about the history of the troubles avoid this IRA propaganda book like leprosy.