This landmark book provides a detailed account of Ireland's transformation over the twentieth century, focusing on how it was to live in Ireland during this period. It covers a wide range of themes, including politics, social issues, and cultural developments, offering a nuanced understanding of Ireland's evolution from a largely agrarian society to a modern, vibrant nation.
In *A Nation and Not a Rabble*, Diarmaid Ferriter provides a detailed analysis of the Irish Revolution, drawing on newly released archival material and testimonies from ordinary people who lived through this period. The book examines the gulf between political rhetoric and reality, the role of women, material survival, and the influence of key leaders during this tumultuous decade.
In 'Between Two Hells', Diarmaid Ferriter provides a nuanced exploration of the Irish Civil War, examining the motivations behind the conflict and its profound effects on Irish politics and society. The book delves into personal stories and experiences, using sources like the Military Pensions Archive to highlight the war's aftermath and its legacy in modern Ireland.
In the aftermath of the Irish War of Independence in 1921, Michael Collins is sent to London to meet Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and other British officials to negotiate a treaty.
After weeks of travelling back and forth across the Irish Sea, Collins and his fellow Sinn Féin negotiators return with a deal. Ireland would become a Free State, but it would remain in the British Empire, and the Irish must swear an oath of allegiance to the King. Eamonn De Valera, the president of the republic, refuses to accept. De Valera and Collins, who were on the same side, are suddenly enemies. A rift tears through the republicans, splitting them into pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty forces. Families are divided, and soldiers who once fought together are on opposite sides. As the Irish tricolour replaces the Union Jack above Dublin castle, war breaks out between the two factions. Will Collins and De Valera survive their third war on home soil?
Listen as William and Anita are joined once again by Diarmaid Ferriter, author of A Nation Not A Rabble, to discuss how the Anglo-Irish Treaty descended into civil war.
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