February 11, 2013 - Page 15 of 17

The American Irish, Kevin Kenny. (Longman, £68.95) ISBN 058227818X Encyclopaedia of the Irish in America, Michael Glazier (ed.). (University of Notre Dame Press, £94.95) ISBN 0268027552

Forty-five million people in the United States of America claim some degree of Irish heritage. Yet Irish America is often little understood on this side of the Atlantic. Too often Irish Americans are stereotyped as either romantics, nostalgic about a country they have never seen, or as uniformly racist, prone to supporting causes they do … Read more

The Aftermath of Revolution: Sligo 1921-23, Michael Farry. (University College Dublin Press, £16.95) ISBN 1900621398

The relative inertia of the Sligo IRA during the Anglo-Irish War did not prevent the county witnessing protracted violence during the Civil War. This illuminating study, providing both a chronological and thematic account, begins with an overview of the rise of militant nationalism in Sligo. The campaign of 1919-1921, denoted by minor skirmishes and acts … Read more

RTÉ’s ‘Patriots to a Man’, the Blueshirts & their times

Why do the Blueshirts exercise such a fascination for us? Perhaps because they seem to make sense of Irish history in the 1930s by offering a parallel with the rest of Europe. Irish historians have always been more circumspect about the meaning of Blueshirtism. F.S.L. Lyons, in an optimistic mood, saw the Blueshirt movement as … Read more

James Chichester-Clark the forgotten Prime Minister

Clive Scoular’s James Chichester-Clark, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland was launched on 12 December 2000 in Belfast’s recently refurbished Linen Hall Library. The author spoke of his pleasure at writing and publishing this first biography and of his gratitude to Lord Moyola (Major Chichester-Clark) and his family for their co-operation. In response Paul Bew (Queen’s, … Read more

‘Refugee Problem’, 1970

When the North of Ireland exploded into violence in August 1969families began to cross the border to seek refuge in the South. TheIrish Army sought to cater for the refugees’ ‘elementary needs such asfood, shelter and sanitary facilities’ at various military camps. By1970 the military authorities were satisfied that the army had actedwith speed and … Read more