Product Description

A timely work of major historical importance, examining the whole spectrum of events from the 1916 Easter Rising to the current and ongoing peace process, fully updated with a new afterword for the paperback edition.

‘An essential book … closely-reasoned, formidably intelligent and utterly compelling … required reading across the political spectrum … important and riveting’ Roy Foster, The Times

‘An outstanding new book on the IRA … a calm, rational but in the end devastating deconstruction of the IRA’ Henry McDonald, Observer

‘Superb … the first full history of the IRA and the best overall account of the organization. English writes to the highest scholarly standards … Moreover, he writes with the common reader in mind: he has crafted a fine balance of detail and analysis and his prose is clear, fresh and jargon-free … sets a new standard for debate on republicanism’ Peter Hart, Irish Times

'The one book I recommend for anyone trying to understand the craziness and complexity of the Northern Ireland tragedy.’ Frank McCourt, author of Angela’s Ashes

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #122286 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 456 pages

Roddy Doyle, January 2003
What impressed me most was the way Richard English managed to present such an historical and contradictory mess with such clarity and fairness.

Review

‘an essential book … closely-reasoned, formidably intelligent and utterly compelling … required reading across the political spectrum … important and riveting’

Roy Foster, The Times

‘an outstanding new book on the IRA … a calm, rational but in the end devastating deconstruction of the IRA’

Henry McDonald, Observer

‘superb … the first full history of the IRA and the best overall account of the organization. English writes to the highest scholarly standards … Moreover, he writes with the common reader in mind: he has crafted a fine balance of detail and analysis and his prose is clear, fresh and jargon-free … sets a new standard for debate on republicanism’

Peter Hart, Irish Times

‘a work which eclipses all other studies of the IRA and must now be regarded as the single most important book on the topic … a penetrating and rewarding study’

Keith Jeffery, Times Literary Supplement

‘excellent book’ Patrick Bishop, Daily Telegraph

‘the best analytical history of the IRA yet written. Even those who grew up with the Troubles will find it a provocative and freshly compelling work. More importantly, perhaps, fifty years from now it will still be required reading – generations who look back and wonder what the Northern conflict was all about will find many of their answers here. Superb … the rigour and depth of English’s analysis is exceptional’

Niall Strange, Sunday Business Post

‘fluent, fascinating account of the origins, actions and ideologies of that caucus of shadows, the Provisional IRA … an enormous challenge of narrative, historical research and tact. In all these regards, English succeeds … his description of what he refers to as the “personal” consequences of republican violence is ultimately as heartbreaking as it is dispassionate’

Joseph O’Neill, Guardian

‘a great book. What impressed me most was the way Richard English managed to present such an historical and contradictory mess with such clarity and fairness. The book grabbed and held me like a very good novel’

Roddy Doyle, author of A Star Called Henry

‘This is a book whose time has come. At a historic moment when Irish republicanism is in the process of redefining itself, a highly-talented historian gives a compelling analysis of its past. The book’s genius lies in its non-judgemental approach, an approach which has induced many leading republicans to speak more frankly to Richard English than they have done to any previous historian. This mixture of skilful historical research and totally new personal statements from key republicans makes this a captivating, authoritative and highly readable book. It is masterly and hard-hitting and is likely to become something of a modern classic.’

Marianne Elliott, author of The Catholics of Ulster

‘an impressive achievement … Richard English’s study is the most probing and thorough analysis of the “Provies” ever. He ranges wider and uses a broader variety of sources than any previous writer. He seems to have read almost everything relevant, and has interviewed many key participants’

Stephen Howe, Independent

‘a marvellous piece of work: insightful, seriously academic and articulate, both in terms of its language and the maturity of its emotional content … Here is an author fully in command of his data sources and arguments. His book is immensely readable, coherent, systematic and thoughtful … an important book’

Mike Ritchie, Ireland on Sunday

‘page after page of cool, clear insights are the book’s motif … What sets Armed Struggle apart, though, is the strength of the pre-Provo years and the remarkable range of sources, both primary and secondary, to which English – a Belfast-born Protestant – has been given access’

Steven King, Irish Independent

‘This vivid, reflective work will likely become the standard introduction to the subject. It also serves as a valuable corrective for anyone who thinks that the difficulties in Northern Ireland are amenable to quick-fix solutions’

Ian McBride, Financial Times

‘a fine and illuminating work’ Literary Review

‘the best study of the Provisional IRA to have appeared so far … Professor English’s important book should be read and thought over by all those who are committed to the cause of democracy in Ireland and Britain, and to establishing permanent good political relations between the peoples of our two islands’

Anthony Coughlan, Irish Democrat

‘from the stream of recent publications chronicling the IRA campaign … Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA by Queen’s academic Richard English is almost certainly the best, benefiting from a cool, dispassionate approach’

Belfast Telegraph

‘About Richard English’s Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA there is a kind of passionate objectivity, you’ll rarely find on this subject. The author works mightily to present two sides of a story that keeps shifting. You might read the book wondering, perhaps, where his sympathies lie, but even if you sneak a look at the last chapter, where he lays out his credentials, you’ll come away impressed with his balance and fairness ... this is the one book I recommend for anyone trying to understand the craziness and complexity of the Northern Ireland tragedy.’

Frank McCourt, author of Angela’s Ashes

‘With fine detail and a flair for narrative, Richard English chronicles the rise of the IRA from the ashes of the Easter Rising to the promise of peace today. Balanced and thoughtful, Armed Struggle offers new insight into Ireland’s republican movement. And it reminds us, in the author’s words, that “the voices of the victims still deafen”’

Terry Golway, author of The Irish in America

‘Richard English has now completed his extensive research into the IRA, work distinguished not only by his mastery of the sources, but by a deep understanding of the mentalities that drive republican violence, as well as a sensitivity to its cost’

George Boyce, author of Nationalism in Ireland

‘The detailed research in this even-handed book makes it of great interest and value. It is filled with well-referenced detail on the recent decades and astute judgements of men and events’

The Irish Catholic

‘an elegant, erudite and accessible piece of scholarship. It draws on a phenomenal range of oral, literary and historical sources … a significant contribution to the literature that will be the standard reading for the foreseeable future’

Paul Arthur, author of Special Relationships: Britain, Ireland and the

Northern Ireland Problem

‘casts valuable new light on the development of republican thinking and strategy’

Liam Clarke, Sunday Times

‘This impressively intense account of the IRA since its birth nearly a century ago is timely … The exhaustive research informing Richard English’s work is obvious. But what gives the book substance is the detachment with which the facts are delivered … a considerable, and unquestionably valuable, achievement’

Robert Kee, BBC History Magazine

‘the best overview of the IRA campaign that there is … a description of an ultimately futile campaign by the IRA, assessed and interpreted by one of the finest intellects in the country’

Malachi O’Doherty, Fortnight Magazine

Professor George Boyce
...work distinguished ...by a deep understanding of the mentalities that drive Republican violence, as well as a sensitivity to its cost.

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Customer Reviews

Excellent: Fair and Balanced
"Armed Struggle" is easily the most accurate, well written and balanced account of the IRA I've read. English's thorough scholorship and intelligent analysis is a welcome improvement from less rigorous, journalistic works on republicans. The narrative is clear, concise and accessible. English has produced a detailed and informative history of the IRA with thoughtful analysis. I was very suprised to find that another reviewer found it "biased", because I have read a large portion of the vast available literature on "the Troubles" and with this work English successfully avoids the partiality or sensationalism that characterises so much of the literature on this subject. This is an extremely valuable resource for anyone interested in the IRA, "the Troubles", or Irish nationalism and history in general.

Armed Struggle. history of the IRA
Being half Irish,but not having lived in Ireland,Ihave for a long time had an intrest in Irish history. when I first saw this book I wasn't sure if it was for me. Having bought and read it, I'm very pleased I did.Richard English has produced what others have failed to do.The research and attention to detail is incredible.He has given a fair and balanced account of the 'troubles'from the 1916 Easter rising to the turn of the century.I found it quite heavy reading in places, having to absorb such an enormous of information,both social and political. Anyone intrested in Irish hitory should read it, as it fills a big gap and provides a lot of answers.

BIASED HOGWASH
I am a very easy going person - I have a bias towards certain things, but I try to see other people's points of view. I have read many books on the NI troubles, written by authors who are neutral, slightly orange or slightly green. Mr English, however, has written possibly the most biased account of what has happened/is still happening (dependant on who you listen to)in Ulster that I have ever seen. His book is one sided and lacks any insight into the overall picture. The protestants are portrayed as ogres, the catholics ('the brave IRA boys') as legendary heroes. If you want a proper, balanced view of the troubles, don't read this. If you are a member of the anti British, pro IRA fan club, buy it - you'll think it's great. You can chat to your mates about it in amongst singing songs about the Black and Tans and lobbing empty Guinness bottles at the police from a run-down second floor flat on the New Lodge.