A Nation and Not a Rabble: The Irish Revolution 1913-1923

By Diarmaid Ferriter

Book Overview

For Ireland, the years 1913-1923 were some of the most tumultuous the nation had ever experienced. Packed with violence, political drama, and social and cultural upheaval, the decade saw the emergence in Ireland of the Ulster Volunteer Force to resist Irish home rule, and in response, the Irish Volunteers, who would later evolve into the IRA. The onset of World War I, along with the rise of Sinn Fein, intense Ulster unionism, and conflict with Britain culminated in the Irish War of Independence, ending with a compromise treaty with Britain and then the enmities and drama of the Irish Civil War. In A Nation and Not a Rabble, renowned Irish historian Diarmaid Ferriter explores these revolutions, drawing on an abundance of newly released archival material, witness statements, and testimony from the ordinary Irish people who lived and fought through this extraordinary period in their nation's history. The book highlights the gulf between reality and rhetoric surrounding the politics and violence of these revolutions, and challenges us to take a new look at how the decade is framed in history. Ferriter addresses the role of women in the period, the battle for material survival, the impact of key Irish unionist and republican leaders, as well as conflicts over health, land, religion, law and order, and welfare. Book jacket.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1468314319
• ISBN13: 9781468314311
• Release Date: February 2017
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.3" x 7.9"