Radical politics in modern Ireland: the Irish Socialist Republican Party, 1896–1904 David Lynch (Irish Academic Press, €39.50) ISBN 0716533561Written by a member of the Trotskyist Socialist Workers’ Party (SWP), this book belongs to a sub-genre of labour history that sees history-writing as instrumental and is at pains to draw lessons regarding present-day socialist politics and … Read more
The Connolly Column: the story of the Irishmen who fought for the Spanish Republic 1936–1939 Michael O’Riordan (Warren and Pell, €22.50) ISBN 0954890426 How do we now see the Spanish Civil War of 70 years ago? What do we now think of its origins and the forces involved? The world—particularly Europe—has greatly changed. Fascism, as … Read more
The Three Richards: Richard I, Richard II and Richard III Nigel Saul (Hambledon and London, £19.99) ISBN 1852852860It is probably just as well that the present prince of Wales is called Charles and that the son likely to succeed him is called William. Anything but Richard, for of the three King Richards so far—Richard I, … Read more
A relative newcomer in the field of Irish Studies journals, the third annual issue of Radharc has just been published (Wordwell Books and Glucksman Ireland House, 164pp, E20, $26, ISSN 15317293). In his preface the editor, Professor Joe Lee, director of New York University’s Glucksman Ireland House, defines Irish Studies in an inclusive manner ‘to … Read more
Do penance or perish: Magdalen asylums in Ireland Frances Finnegan (Oxford University Press, £12.50) ISBN 0195174607Over the past number of years, prompted primarily by a number of television documentaries and films, the purpose and objective of Magdalen asylums in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Ireland have had a considerable airing. However, much of this debate generated more … Read more