‘Do you kick with the left foot or the right?’ is a sure way of telling Catholic from Protestant in the North (so some people say), but a new twist has been given to it by historian Raymond O’Regan, who says that it extends to hands—the Red Hand of Ulster, that is. Using as proof … Read more
Sir, —Paul McNamara’s excellent article on Seán Lester (HI 17.3, May/June 2009) shows us how weakness in the face of totalitarianism can lead to greater disaster. The article reminded me of Hubert Butler’s essay on resistance leader and Nobel laureate Carl von Ossietzky. Butler noted the brave and principled campaign that Ossietzky led against Hitler, … Read more
Dramatic changes in information technology, particularly in multimedia and social networking, in recent years have opened up new vistas in the presentation of research and in teaching and student enquiry. The MultiText Project in History is unique in terms of its value to Irish history teachers and students. Its essays are written by leading scholars, … Read more
The context in which the civil rights crisis should be placed stretches beyond the islands on the edge of Europe’s Atlantic coast to take in the whole continent. Northern Ireland was not entirely a ‘place apart’; it was one variation upon a wider European pattern. The French sociologist Raymond Aron highlighted that the post-war era … Read more
Sir, —Without wanting to start a long discussion, there are a few pointsmentioned in last issue’s letters pages (HI 17.3, May/June 2009)concerning my review of the Coolacrease book that apparently need someclarification. In essence these criticisms come down to two issues: theresults of the 1918 elections and the consequent democratic mandate ofSinn Féin, and my … Read more