A Short History of Ireland, 1500-2000

by John Gibney

Overview

A brisk, concise, and readable overview of Irish history from the Protestant Reformation to the dawn of the twenty-first century.

Five centuries of Irish history are explored in this informative and accessible volume. Beginning with Ireland’s modern period at the dawn of the sixteenth century, John Gibney continues through to virtually the present day, offering an integrated overview of the island nation’s cultural, political, and socioeconomic evolution.

This succinct, scholarly study covers important historical events, including the Cromwellian conquest and settlement, the Great Famine, and the struggle for Irish independence. Along the way, it explores major themes such as Ireland’s often contentious relationship with Britain, the impact of the Protestant Reformation, the ongoing religious tensions it inspired, and the global reach of the Irish diaspora. This unique, wide-ranging work assimilates the most recent scholarship on a wide range of historical controversies, making it an essential addition to the library of any student of Irish studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300231472
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	06/24/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	296
Sales rank:	99,212
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

John Gibney completed his doctorate at Trinity College Dublin. He is the author of a number of books including The Shadow of a Year: The 1641 Rebellion in Irish History and Memory.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

A Note on Conventions ix

Map of Ireland xi

Chronology of Key Events xii

Introduction: Ireland on the Edge 1

Part I The Sixteenth Century

1 New Faith, New Kingdom 11

2 Elizabethan Ireland 23

3 Tyrone's Rebellion: The Nine Years War 35

Where Historians Disagree 44

Part II The Seventeenth Century

4 Plantation 49

5 The Wars of the Three Kingdoms 63

6 The Cromwellian Conquest and the Restoration 69

7 Two Kings 78

Where Historians Disagree 85

Part III The Eighteenth Century

8 Ascendancy 89

9 Hidden Irelands 99

10 Patriots 106

11 The French Disease and the Union 115

Where Historians Disagree 124

Part IV The Nineteenth Century

12 The Age of O'Connell 131

13 Famine and Diaspora 142

14 New Departures 152

15 Culture Wars 168

Where Historians Disagree 180

Part V The Twentieth Century

16 Revolution 187

17 Two Irelands 203

18 The Second Republic 218

19 Between Boston and Berlin 226

Where Historians Disagree: An Epilogue 240

Notes 245

Further Reading and Online Sources 261

Index 267

Editorial Reviews

An excellent primer on Ireland and its relations with its neighbour, written in a tone of rationality that draws a line under the mistakes of the earlier centuries.”—Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph

“In this crowded field, what sets John Gibney’s work of synthesis apart is its skilful combination of readability and, despite its modest length, breadth.”—Cormac ó Gráda, BBC History

“Gibney’s book, a concise, accurate and fair assessment of Anglo-Irish relations between 1500 and 2000, should be required reading.” —The Daily Telegraph (Read This Week)

"This admirable, succinct account of developments in Irish society from the sixteenth century to the present identifies several unresolved historiographical issues, and offers an especially judicious discussion of controversies concerning the 18th and 19th centuries."—Nicholas Canny, National University of Ireland, Galway
 

"Succinct, clearly written, and up-to-date. John Gibney condenses great masses of historical matter into brisk, accessible, narrative."—James Smyth, University of Notre Dame
 

“Gibney's work is distinguished by remarkable range, impressive erudition lightly worn, exceptional talent for incisive summary, and a highly readable style. Gibney blends political, social and economic history in a seamless flow that leaves the reader eager to find out what comes next. This is not only a work of first class scholarship, but the product of penetrating and wide-ranging thought.”—J. J. Lee, New York University

From the Publisher

"Succinct, clearly written, and up-to-date. John Gibney condenses great masses of historical matter into brisk, accessible, narrative."—James Smyth, University of Notre Dame
 

James Smyth

"This admirable, succinct account of developments in Irish society from the sixteenth century to the present identifies several unresolved historiographical issues, and offers an especially judicious discussion of controversies concerning the 18th and 19th centuries."—Nicholas Canny, National University of Ireland, Galway
 

Nicholas Canny