Looking for books on Irish history

FunLover18

I've always struggled with Irish history, I just find it quite dull but I've decided recently that that's probably more down to the style in which I have been exposed to it (school/college textbooks, teachers/lectures droning on) rather than the subject matter itself. I'm currently trying to read Charles Townsend's 'Easter 1916' and I'm finding it extremely dull and heavy to read. I read Jeremy Paxman's book on World War 1 recently and it's a completely different style of writing, it's light in tone and enjoyable to read without detracting from the seriousness of the subject. I've also enjoyed Bill Bryson's history books. So, are There any books on Irish history that would be similar in tone and style that anyone could recommend?

Thanks

Full Marx

Tim Pat Coogans books are easy to read.

Banjoxed

Roy Foster's Modern Ireland 1600-1972 is the best overall, if you have time to read it.

Manach

From an outsider's perspective, there is Paul Johnson's Ireland.

Leocolceathrar

Thanks for the tips.

FunLover18

Cheers guy, this is great.

Missent

Would support Roy Foster's book on Modern Ireland referred to above although, because of the period it covers, it can skate very thinly over certain aspects. Living in Wexford, I was looking forward very much to his coverage of the 1798 Rebellion. However, I blinked and I missed it.

However, I am currently reading his new book, Vivid Faces, about the general revolutionary period around 1916, etc. I think it's probably the best Irish history book I've read.

Hermy

Good thread.

As an amatuer genealogist and keen quizzer I'm constantly reminded how much I don't know of our own and world history.
That Roy Foster book sounds like a good place to start.

Full Marx

I have found Roy Foster very lacking, and very much of the revisionist school. I'd avoid, or at the least not leave your reading exclusively to his works.

Banjoxed

Full Marx wrote: »

I have found Roy Foster very lacking, and very much of the revisionist school. I'd avoid, or at the least not leave your reading exclusively to his works.

He's a patron of History Ireland, not exactly a hotbed of revisionism that.

MRnotlob606

Stay away from Kieran Allen.

I suppose I shall elaborate on why I would negate Kieran Allen, He has a book called "1916- a revolutionary traditon". He more or less called Arthur Griffith a racist, he is incredibly anti-capitalist and seems discredit anybody that doesn't adhere to his fantasy utopian ideal. He calls the Free State Authoritarian and conveniently left out atrocities carried about by the anti-treaty IRA. Its a completely biased piece of Neo-Marxist codology.

Jellybaby1

I'm just like the OP so I am taking notes from this thread. Thanks for posting the question.

MRnotlob606

Dermot Keogh has a good book called 'Twentieth Century Ireland'. Its very good at presenting the political changes in Ireland, but also social and artistic changes too.

pinkypinky

Oxford Companion to Irish History has very good encyclopaedia style articles on a lot of subjects. I find it a good starting point when I want to check something.

dubhthach

Recent book which I thought was fairly straightforward read was:

Richard II and the Irish kings by Darren McGettigan



Good overview of late 14th century Ireland, contents:

1. Richard II and his western island
2. Fourteenth-century Gaelic Ireland – a new Sparta
3. Richard's first expedition to Ireland, 1394–5
4. Richard and the Ó Néill kings of Tyrone
5. Richard's second expedition to Ireland, June–July 1399
6. 'Now for our Irish wars'

http://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/2016/richard-ii-and-the-irish-kings/

sidenote: the cover shows Richard II knighting the future Henry V which occurred during Richard's second trip to Ireland in 1399.