Republic: The Fight for Irish Independence, 1918-1923 The

Product Description

The Irish fight for independence was both a physical battle of protracted violence, and an intellectual battle for a new sort of country. After bloodshed, betrayals and grim compromises that haunted a generation, the struggle ended and a new Irish state was born. These critical years in Ireland's history have often been viewed through the prisms of myth and martyrdom. Charles Townshend's The Republic gets to the truth, painting a far more nuanced and sceptical picture than previous accounts have done - but never losing sight of the ordinary heroism of countless Irish men and women trapped in terrible times.

'Magnificent, unflinching . . . a magisterial account of the Irish struggle for independence.' Colin Kidd, Guardian

'A highly impressive overview of the Irish revolutionary period . . . refreshing, lively and balanced . . . few are as able as Townshend to weave mature analysis and a confident grasp of the issues into an accessible, coherent book.' Diarmaid Ferriter, Independent

'Monumental ... This is a great read and rests on a towering volume of original research. While it will not be the only history of the foundation of modern Ireland, it has certainly set a very high standard for others to measure up to.' Marianne Elliott, Times Higher Education

'His contribution to modern Irish historiography has been immense and unparalleled . . . a beautifully crafted style, uncompromising judgments (sometimes inserted stiletto-style after an overblown quotation), erudition lightly worn and an unforced clarity throughout.' Roy Foster, Irish Times