Ireland and the Irish: Portrait of a Changing Society

The Ardagh book has been in my collection since it came out. I found it very intelligent and fair in its depictions of Ireland. It presented a good overview and Ardagh seems to have a sense of affection for the country. He has a good grasp on the role of the Catholic church in Ireland and,all in all, was respectful of others' beliefs although he was puzzled by them I travel there often and only wish that with the tremendous social and economic changes, almost upheavals, which have occured in Ireland in the last 10-12 years that he would do an update on the book. This book, although outdated today, is well worth reading for the insights which can be gained.

Highly Recommended!John Ardagh has written a number of highly praised books on modern European societies, and this book is as good as the others. Once you read an Ardagh book, you will walk away with a good understanding of what really makes a country tick. Please realize that this is not a history book (although it does provide the necessary historical background). If you need to know ANYTHING about modern Irish society, look no further. "Ireland and the Irish" is a complete and unbiased profile of a rapidly changing nation.

I found the book very informative, providing a great deal of background to contemporary Irish politics and cultural life. Just what I was looking for. The story of the Irish constitutional amendment to prohibit abortion was an eye-opener. If the Republic of Ireland, being 90% anti-abortion, had such a hard time with the issue, how can people in a more socially divided country like the US think they can institute government control?