Luck and the Irish: A Brief History of Change, C. 1970-2000

By R.F. Foster

Book Overview

R.F. Foster's Luck and the Irish: A Brief History of Change, 1970-2000 examines how the country has weathered thirty years of rapid transformation, and what these changes may mean in the long run.

From 1970, things were changing in Ireland - the Celtic Tiger had finally woken, and the rules for everything from gender roles and religion to international relations were being entirely rewritten. By the end of the twentieth century, Ireland had become a global brand, and the almost completely unexpected wave of prosperity had brought with it upheavals in economics, sexual mores and culture, as well as a shift in North-South attitudes.

Roy Foster also looks at how characters as diverse as Gerry Adams, Mary Robinson, Charles Haughey and Bob Geldof have contributed to Ireland's altered psyche, and uncovers some of the scandals, corruption and marketing masterminds that have transformed Ireland - and its luck.

'Examines our society with fierce intelligence and insight'
Colm T ib n, Irish Times Books of the Year

'Occasionally angry, sometimes whimsical and frequently hilarious ... Appeals both to those who know nothing and those who think they know everything'
Conor Gearty, Financial Times

'The brilliance of the writing places him as a historian in a league of his own ... A balanced work offering his own distinctive, original and elegant insights'
Diarmaid Ferriter, Times Literary Supplement

R. F. Foster is Carroll Professor of Irish History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Hertford College, Oxford. His books include Modern Ireland: 1600-1972, The Irish Story and W. B. Yeats: A Life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0141017651
• ISBN13: 9780141017655
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

A crisp, readable account of recent Irish history.

In trying to provide a coherent analysis of the huge changes that Ireland has undergone in the last 35 years, R.F. Foster has set himself an impossible task. It's not surprising, therefore, that he doesn't entirely succeed. But he does acquit himself very well in the attempt. The book is short (~200 pages) and divided into five, densely argued, chapters: 1. The Miracle of Loaves and Fishes 2. How the Catholics became Protestants 3. The Party Fight and Funeral 4. 'Big Mad Children': the South and the North 5. How the Short Stories became Novels These are concerned with, respectively * the 'Celtic Tiger', that is, the extraordinary economic boom that Ireland experienced, beginning in 1987 (and which was still underway when this book was written, though it hasn't escaped the recent havoc) * social changes, including changes in women's roles, the complete erosion of influence of the Catholic hierarchy, and liberalization of laws pertaining to contraception, divorce, and homosexuality * the role of Fianna Fail in Irish politics in the late 20th Century * the evolution of attitudes in the Republic towards the North that helped pave the way to the Good Friday agreement of 1998 * the flourishing of the most recent generation of Irish writers and musicians For me, chapters 1, 2, and 5 were the most successful, though this may reflect the aspects of recent Irish history that interest me the most. Foster's analyses of the economic and social changes, the beginnings of which he traces back to the 1970s, seem particularly insightful. The writing is generally pretty clear, though it can become a little dense on occasion. In general, he does presuppose a basic familiarity with Irish history and politics, so this is not a book for someone looking for a basic primer. It is, however, a fascinating and thought-provoking analysis of recent developments in Irish history.

An intelligent and witty history of contemporary Ireland.

R.F. Foster has produced another engaging account of Irish History. This intelligent and witty history of contemporary Ireland covers the economic miracle, cultural energy, decline of the Catholic Church, Northern Ireland, and Politics in the late 20th century. I highly recommend this account to anyone who is interested in the current Irish state of affairs.