A Short History of the IRA

An accessible, clearly-written account of the IRA from 1916 to today. It covers the origins and history of the organisation, its aims, the political and military thinking which has driven its activities, and the major personalities who have shaped the direction of the movement down through the years.

The relationship with the Irish and British governments is examined, as well as the effects of the major bombing campaigns and the 1981 hunger strikes. It also explains the radical shift in thinking which led to the IRA seeking a political way towards the goal of Irish unity rather than pursuing the entrenched 'Brits Out' policy at the point of a gun.

The background to the IRA ceasefire, and the many factors which contributed to its ending are looked at, as well as the prospects for a lasting peace in one of the world's most troubled arenas.

With a new chapter that brings us as far as 2018 this book has everything you need to know about the IRA.

Auteur

Brendan O'Brien reported on Northern Ireland as RTÉ's senior current affairs reporter beginning in 1974, and he made three major documentaries about the IRA. He won many awards for investigative journalism, including European Journalist of the Year 1998 and the Amnesty International Award 2001. Since retiring from RTÉ he has lectured extensively on the Northern Irish conflict and peace process.

He is the author of The Story of Ireland, a children's book illustrated by Cartoon Saloon; The Long War: The IRA and Sinn Féin; and the revised and updated edition of A Short History of Ireland (by the late Breandán
Ó hEithir). He lives in Wicklow with his family.