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Story of Ireland

Story of Ireland

Summary

The history of Ireland has traditionally focused on the localized struggles of religious conflict, territoriality and the fight for Home Rule. But from the early Catholic missions into Europe to the embrace of the euro, the real story of Ireland has played out on the larger international stage.

Story of Ireland presents this new take on Irish history, challenging the narrative that has been told for generations and drawing fresh conclusions about the way the Irish have lived. Revisiting the major turning points in Irish history, Neil Hegarty re-examines the accepted stories, challenging long-held myths and looking not only at the dynamics of what happened in Ireland, but also at the role of events abroad. How did Europe's 16th century religious wars inform the incredible violence inflicted on the Irish by the Elizabethans? What was the impact of the French and American revolutions on the Irish nationalist movement? What were the consequences of Ireland's policy of neutrality during the Second World War? Story of Ireland sets out to answer these questions and more, rejecting the introspection that has often characterized Irish history.

Accompanying a landmark series coproduced by the BBC and RTE, and with an introduction by series presenter, Fergal Keane, Story of Ireland is an epic account of Ireland's history for an entire new generation.

About the author

Neil Hegarty

Neil Hegarty was born in Derry in 1970. He is the author of Dublin: A View from the Ground. His short fiction and essays have been published widely and his journalism has appeared in the Irish Times and Daily Telegraph. His radio play, The Story of Peggy Mountain, was shortlisted for RTE's P J O'Connor Award; and he has written radio documentaries on the Irish diaspora in Newfoundland and Argentina.
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