The Course of Irish History

I was looking for a good book on the history of the Irish people. I bought a book about the IRA thinking that their history will be helpful but soon found out i had to get a more simpler book that will give me an introduction to Ireland history.In other words, history for someone who needs to start from scratch.That's when i tried this book and struck gold.This book is simple,clear and concise.It goes thru irish history step by step explaining the important events that shaped that history.For example,the account of how England became involved in Ireland is very clear and precise.From that moment on the authors do a very good job of explaining the PM's different policies toward Ireland. As the book approaches the 20th century it is still clear to understand the different forces that interact because the authors describe the events in a clear way.The only flaw that i saw in this book was that the authors dont really explain much of the origins of the terms like Sinn Fein and Fianna Fial.We dont know what they mean.But again very good intro to a history that needs a lot of explaining.

being a history major, i love history already so may have a bit of a bias. however this is a great book for anyone interested in irish history. you never get lost of confused, it is well organized, and logical to follow. unlike many history books, it is a fun read and never gets boring. before going to ireland for a month over the summer i read this book and it was great because it gave interesting history to know before i went. also does a great job of looking at the conflict that started over british rule and the politics behind it. i would reccomend this book to anyone. Slainte!

This is the first book I've read which gives a concise and yet broad view of Irish history. It gives a short essay on every major time period and event since the beginning of Irish History. I liked the format of the book with several different authors contributing. I also liked the detail timeline at the back of the book that covered everything even those events/people which did not get mentioned in any other part of the book. A good starting point for anyone interested in Irish History or the relationship between Ireland and Great Britain.

This is an outstanding book which describes the entire course of the history of Ireland. This book is extremely helpful about detailing the history leading to Ireland's current troubles. A defite must read for the Ireland or History enthusiast and for anyone planning a trip to the Emerald Isle in the future. Even though this book is extremely thorough, it is easily understandable to both historians and lay persons both in Ireland and abroad.

This book provides excellent overall coverage of Irish history from ancient times to the present. It provides a starting point for all further interest in specific Irish topics. As a future Irish historian, it is good to see a well-written general text on Irish history as most books on Irish subjects pertain to one period and/or issue. Definitely a highly recommended book for classroom purposes.