20's/30's Irish Economy

Rasmus

Hi,
I wonder if anyone could recommend a book that concentrates on the economic effects in Ireland of the 1929 stock market crash in the U.S.?
Thanks

RichardAnd

This wikipedia article would have some useful info. It's more about the UK but as Ireland was so closely linked to them economically at the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression_in_the_United_Kingdom


From what I know personally, Ireland wasn't as affected by the 1929 crash as it was by the recent crisis. This may seem strange but remember that Ireland was not booming in the 20s. I did talk to my grandmother about this once as she was a young girl in the 30s and she never spoke of that period as being particularly hard. If anything, from what's she's told me, I can deduce that the 40's were harsher with the rationing from the war.

Of course, my maternal grandmother came from a wealthy family so perhaps her view of the world was somewhat tinted.

Rasmus

Yes I know, that is why it is hard to find literature on it as such. There was a certain amount of subsequent impact in the early 30's because of the crisis, even if it was small. I am trying to pinpoint how and where. Contrary to what you say, I thought there was something of a boom or hedonistic period after the war, in the 20's?

RichardAnd

Rasmus wrote: »

Yes I know, that is why it is hard to find literature on it as such. There was a certain amount of subsequent impact in the early 30's because of the crisis, even if it was small. I am trying to pinpoint how and where. Contrary to what you say, I thought there was something of a boom or hedonistic period after the war, in the 20's?

There may have been some upturn from WW1 that I'm not aware of but remember, we had botht he war of independence and the civil war in the 20s. Whatever there may have been I'd seriously doubt the word boom could be applied.

Rasmus

Thanks. I understand what you are saying. I am not comparing any 'boom' that has happened in recent decades to any 'boom' in the 1920s.
Any upsurge in economy or society during the latter period mentioned couldn't possibly be likened to anything in the beginning of this century.

What I am trying to identify here are any points in the Irish Free State's history that were considered economic slumps due to any contributing factors of the U.S. depression.

Essentially, if concrete examples exist, either as an argument against the concept or the proven theory that such an economic contraction ocurred, I would like the academic research to back it up.
Hence the book search.

RichardAnd

Rasmus wrote: »

Thanks. I understand what you are saying. I am not comparing any 'boom' that has happened in recent decades to any 'boom' in the 1920s.
Any upsurge in economy or society during the latter period mentioned couldn't possibly be likened to anything in the beginning of this century.

What I am trying to identify here are any points in the Irish Free State's history that were considered economic slumps due to any contributing factors of the U.S. depression.

Essentially, if concrete examples exist, either as an argument against the concept or the proven theory that such an economic contraction ocurred, I would like the academic research to back it up.
Hence the book search.

Have you considered a more historical search? In the Nation Library in kildare street, there is a thorough record of newspapers. They're all on microfilm which can be annoying but perhaps if you do a search through these records you could build up an idea of how things were going at the time.

Joe1919

Emigration fell (not as much work abroad), population increased........

The Economic Development of Ireland in the Twentieth Century
By Thomas Giblin, Kieran Kennedy, Deirdre McHugh..............p.39.

http://books.google.ie/books?id=cWQ7n3i870gC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+economic+development+of+ireland+in+the+twentieth+century&source=bl&ots=X2v92QmQBI&sig=33DCfBfurfO5RWpBlk57R8AWBXQ&hl=en&ei=CP9zTdLHOcmwhAfIo5xJ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

Anonymous1987

Cormac O'Grada is an economic historian at UCD who has written a good deal on the Irish economy, it might be worth having a look at his work here. This book seems to be mostly free on Google Books. I don't think it deals with the direct effects of the stock market crash though.

dubhthach

Ireland, 1912-1985: Politics and Society

Obviously it covers a wider gamut then just the 1920's/30's however it's probably one of the best books regarding Ireland in the 20th century.

Rasmus

Thanks all. I have two of the three books recd here - not the O'Grada though so I'll look into that. GReat suggestions.