Product Description

A rip–roaring ride through the history of the Emerald Isle

Ireland’s story is an amazingly dramatic and intense one – and today the influence of Irish culture can be felt around the globe. This book helps you find out why, taking you on a rollercoaster journey through the highs and lows of Ireland’s past including invasions, battles, executions, religious divide, uprisings, emigration – and Riverdance!

Mike Cronin is a lecturer at the Centre for Irish Programmes, Boston College, Dublin. He has written 5 books on Irish history.

Discover:

• When and how Ireland became Celtic
• Ireland and Britain’s complex relationship
• The evolution of Irish culture
• How Irish emigration has affected the world
• Northern Ireland’s rocky road to peace

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40429 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

From the Back Cover
A rip–roaring ride through the history of the Emerald Isle

Understand the people, disasters, and triumphs that have shaped Ireland

Ireland′s story is an amazingly dramatic and intense one – and today the influence of Irish culture can be felt around the globe. This book helps you find out why, taking you on a rollercoaster journey through the highs and lows of Ireland′s past including invasions, battles, executions, religious divide, uprisings, emigration – and hurling!

Discover

• When and how Ireland became Celtic
• Why Ireland and Britain¿s relationship is so complex
• How Irish culture has evolved
• The global impact of Irish emigration
• Northern Ireland′s rocky road to peace

About the Author
Mike Cronin studied history at the University of Kent and at Oxford, and has taught history to university students for the past fifteen years. He has published widely on the history of Ireland, and also on the history of sport. His books include a history of sport and nationalism in Ireland, a jointly authored history of St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world, and a general history of Ireland. He is currently the Academic Director at Boston College’s Centre for Irish Programmes in Dublin, and is researching the history of major public spectacles and festivals in twentieth century Ireland.

Customer Reviews

A teachers view
Although I have not finished this book yet I'm sure I will do so soon. This book is so easy to read and is full of humour. I am a history teacher and I'm always looking for books that the students might like or ideas for simplifying confusing areas of Irish history- this book will be very helpful for that. Its just a pity there's no pictues in it!!

A cracking read
I'm really enjoying this book. I bought it as a christmas present but I'm going to have to buy another copy. Its full of fascinating bits of information -and its so refreshing to read a history of ireland that's balanced to both points of view and well written -with even a few jokes. If my teacher had used this book while I was at school -I might have spent less time flicking ink and more time listening!

A fairly reasonable and readable summary of Irish History
Not a bad stab at a fairly complex subject. A great come-in-handy book for the smallest room or coffee table. Easy to dip into and read selected sections as it takes your fancy. Witty jokey style, but not annoyingly so. Possibly slight worry about the limited breadth of authorship and reference sources and the suspiciously un-Irish list of contributors and researchers (why?). It also leaves out quite a few important subjects and events. As long as one accepts that all history is relative and subjective and you apply the normal cautions and caveats then its a very good book.