What is the best introduction to Irish history up to modern times?

[Gabha Óir]

A.M. Sullivan's 'The Story of Ireland'

It ain't academic by todays standards or lack of them but it is a fascinating account and tremendously funny. The chapter about the capture of Aodh Rua Ó Domhnaill, with the lure of fine wines, is on a par with Dickens.

[Catalpa]

Er... no. It's a great piece of work. Don't tell me, it's not strong enough on the 'national question' and on immigration?

Its written by a Brit - an ex RAF officer IIRC.

TBH I found it pretty byast and not very good.

[toxic avenger]

Its written by a Brit - an ex RAF officer IIRC.

TBH I found it pretty byast and not very good.

Well, speaking for myself, I found it, if anything, quite sympathetic. His being ex-forces means nothing (everyone in Britain over a certain age served at some time). Ruth Dudley-Edwards and Roy Foster never served in the RAF, did they?...

[Kev408]

I couldn't agree with that more, every book is bias.

For the 20th Century my favourite book is JJ Lee's Ireland 1912-1985, although I thought he was very harsh on the CnaG, but it is still good and very detailed.

Alvin Jackson's book is quite good as is Foster's and they do go back further.

I know Joe Lee is quite respected but I still find him irritating. He sometimes treats the Irish people with contempt. Foster is so extraordinarily one-sided I can't believe an Irish person would have anything decent to say about him. But I suppose there's 'believers' everywhere.

[History Student]

Jackson T.A, Ireland Her Own

Good overview of 800 years of History, starting with Ancient Ireland, ending with economic war.

[Catalpa]

Well, speaking for myself, I found it, if anything, quite sympathetic. His being ex-forces means nothing (everyone in Britain over a certain age served at some time). Ruth Dudley-Edwards and Roy Foster never served in the RAF, did they?...

No

- but they have been shot down in flames....

[toxic avenger]

I know Joe Lee is quite respected but I still find him irritating. He sometimes treats the Irish people with contempt. Foster is so extraordinarily one-sided I can't believe an Irish person would have anything decent to say about him. But I suppose there's 'believers' everywhere.

Is that true about Joe Lee? He's always condemned as a nationalist historian by the more revisionist and unionist types, as far as I can see. As someone who was taught by him at UCC, I can only say that the man is utterly brilliant, even with his weird dress sense and yellow clogs...

[Lao-Tse]

We had Dermot Keogh's "Twentieth Century Ireland:Nation and State"
as a college textbook, which I found useful although very long.

[toxic avenger]

We had Dermot Keogh's "Twentieth Century Ireland:Nation and State"
as a college textbook, which I found useful although very long.

I had him as lecturer too, very nice man, perhaps a tad more conservative than Joe Lee, very good on the relationship between Ireland and the Jews...

[Catalpa]

We had Dermot Keogh's "Twentieth Century Ireland:Nation and State"
as a college textbook, which I found useful although very long.

Good on the South - dodgy on the North - IMO.