Ireland, 1870–1914

Coercion and Conciliation

Donnchadh Ó Corráin & Tomás O'Riordan, editors

‘The book looks at three key development in modern Irish history: the foundation of the GAA and the promotion of “Irish Ireland”, the struggle for home rule and the 1885–6 elections and the class between labour and capital in Dublin during the 1913 lockout … This volume is a valuable collection for secondary level and university students, but the general reader will also profit from dipping into this rich resource', Barry McLaughlin, Books Ireland (November 2011).

‘Editors Ó Corráin and O’Riordan present this book on Irish history between 1870 and 1914. The text is unique in that, rather than providing a general historical narrative, it focuses on three aspects of this time period in Ireland: the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the pursuit of Home Rule, and the conflicts between labour and capital. The work also differs from other historical texts in that each historical account is represented wholly, thus allowing the contradictory nature of history to be easily viewed. Those studying Irish history will find the volume a valuable contribution to the field', Reference & Research Book News (October 2011).

‘The book provides a wide selection of contemporary documents with introductions, notes on their sources, précis, profiles of the main protagonists and essays on historical concepts. There is also a remarkable 24-page selection of photographs … a new and workable way for readers to discover history', Books Ireland (September 2011).

‘These two books [Ireland, 1815–70 and Ireland, 1870–1914] explore our recent history in terms of set themes which illuminate the past in a very different way … it is to be hoped that this set will be widely read, providing as it does not only extended overviews of how the past seems to recent historians, but also original materials which illuminate them. The combination is unique and deserves to be widely appreciated … A useful aspect of both volumes are the chapters which provide mini-biographies of the key personalities, a far better way of integrating the effect of individuals on the times they lived in than any broad narrative can attain. The volumes are handsomely produced and adroitly illustrated with a range of often unusual pictures. But it is the space and detail that they devote to religion and culture in the widest sense that will make these volumes of great value to all readers', Peter Costello, The Irish Catholic (September 2011).