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Eamon De Valera: The Man Who Was Ireland

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Since the execution of the leading Irish nationalist rebels after the Easter Rising of1916, nationalist Ireland has produced only two larger-than-life political figures. With the publication of Eamon De Valera: The Man Who Was Ireland, Ireland's leading journalist-historian Tim Pat Coogan has completed taking on both of these figures as biographical subjects. A few years earlier, Coogan gave us Michael Collins: The Man Who Made Ireland, lionizing the long-dead guerrilla commander who forced the British to withdraw from (most of) Ireland but who soon therafter lost his relatively young life to rebels he once led who felt he had compromised too much in obtaining Irish independence. Now Coogan tells the story of Collins' much longer-lived friend, "chief," and, ultimately, rival who harnessed that rebel force and turned it into a populist political movement that defined Ireland for a half-century and still casts a "long shadow" over the nation today. As usual Coogan does so in mostly elegant lucid prose that is only dwarfed by his monumentally detailed research. Every issue is here and to cite only a few: DeValera's mysterious Spanish paternity, his record as commandant during Easter Week, his controversial appeal for "extremist support" against Collins' Treaty with England, his role in the Irish Civil War, his influence and in-fighting with the Irish-American lobby, his return to mainstream politics with his Fianna Fail party, his League of Nations and World War II neutrality record, his Constitution and wearing down of Britain to obtain full Irish independence, his publications empire, his social and economic policies (or lack thereof). The only serious drawback of the book, apart from the length and academic style which may be a hindrance to some, is that the reader shold be aware that this book has a point of view. Coogan constantly reminds us that De Valera was a student of Macchiavelli's writings and does not do so to merely impress us with DeValera's literary interests.

In many ways a superior work, but only if you are aware of Coogan's bias, which is blindly pro Collins and unfairly anti Devalera. An anology would be a Nixon apologist [i.e. Pat Buchanan or William Safire] writing an "Objective Biography" of John F. Kennedy. Despite their obvious intellectual talents,neither is capable of an even handed analysis. Devalera was a Giant of the 20 th Century,despite the fact that he represented only a very small nation on the World Scene for nearly 40 yrs. He was the central figure in the the War of Independence with G.B., + in the formation + leadership of Eire in the League of Nations, W.W.11, + post W.W. 11 /U.N., + as a respected + influential nuetral leader.Coogan for all is literary skills, is simply incapable of objective analysis except on rare instance. The detail is impressive, the sources are broad, and the scope is massive ,but he simply finds it virtually impossible to see what history has proven; that Dev was the superior soul in intellect, vision, ethics, and historical perspective. Collins was a good man , but seriously flawed with human weaknesses; while Dev...not a saint,who really is?....was a monumental tower of basic decency,judgement, + historical insight + instinct. Harry Boland,a great Irish patriot, who was extremely close to both Collins + Devalera, choose Dev, + the Collins' forces made him pay with his life. He declared that Dev was "the true Chief" and that the greatness of the man lay in his " incorruptability".If the reader knows Irish history, and if he/she can seperate the bias from the facts, they will gain meaningful insights into Dev and the glory that was his Ireland.

Tim Pat Coogan compiles a sober and thorough history of Eamon deValera, the most influential Irish leader of the twentieth century. Combining painstaking research with first-hand accounts, Coogan presents a well-rounded portrait of this most complicated and controversial figure. Those who hold deValera in a saintly reverence may be angered at some of the less flattering depictions of the "lay cardinal." But this ranks as a most important read for anyone interested in tracking the course of twentieth century Ireland.

When Diarmaid Ferriter's biography "Judging Dev" was released in 2007, Tim Pat Coogan reviewed it, saying, "Ferriter purports to discuss the cases objectively but somehow always brings in a verdict in favour of de Valera." An astonishing statement, considering that Coogan --- in his own biography of revolutionary, leader, and architect of Modern Ireland Eamon de Valera --- purports to discuss the same cases objectively, but somehow always brings in a verdict AGAINST de Valera.

"Eamon de Valera: The Man Who Was Ireland" locates its virtues in the level of detail, which is exhaustive and exhausting. To a point, anyway. There are pages and pages of historical and anecdotal evidence, analysis, and background for supporting characters on, for example, Dev's 1920 trip to America, or his meeting with Lloyd George the following year, or the consitutional process of 1937. The close scrutiny tapers off after the Second World War, however; de Valera's two tenures in opposition to the Costello government are dispatched all too quickly, and his two terms as President barely merit discussion at all. (Admittedly, the Presidency of Ireland is an inactive, cermonial office, but it's remarkable that upwards of 50 pages are spent on his year in America in 1920, while less than half that space is given to 14 years of his presidency.) To a degree this isn't a huge problem; the closely analyzed sections are the most important in Dev's life, but with such a hefty book one expects a fully realized biography.

In place of that consistency of scrutiny, though, Coogan offers a number of ugly and unfair motifs. The "Cute Hoor!" "De Valera, Nice Guy, vs. De Valera, Man of Power!" And, most maddening, Machiavelli, Machiavelli, Machiavelli. Coogan wishes to impress upon us de Valera's obsession with Machiavelli and its effect on his political career, and yet it is Coogan who comes off as obsessed. Often he attributes Dev's actions or frame of mind as "no doubt a product of his reading of Machiavelli" --- but with no evidence of that association aside from reminding us that Dev read Machiavelli (as have many, for centuries) and recommended it to others to read (as have many, for centuries). And yet it was when Dev was at his LEAST Machiavellian --- his irrational, impassioned but misguided (as he himself would later admit) reaction to the 1921 treaty --- that he reached the low point of his life. Hence, even if we are to believe Coogan's assertion that Machiavelli guided Dev's career, it seems that if anything it helped keep him balanced and rational. In either case, the guilt-by-association is quite overblown and should be taken with a huge grain of salt.

Also to be taken with a huge grain of salt: Coogan's ultimate insistence that de Valera did "little that was useful and much that was harmful" in his life of service and fighting for Ireland. This of the man who led a battalion in the Easter Rising; led the first independent government of Ireland; attempted to curb the extremes of the anti-treaty side of the Civil War, even as he fought for that side; stripped away the unfortunate trappings of Commonwealth; and took a courageous and principled stand for neutrality during the Second World War. Oh, and was the architect of the Constitution of Ireland that is still substantially in force today.

Knowing Tim Pat Coogan's association with Fine Gael -- which one of its own major dignitaries called "the tradition that always voted against de Valera" -- and his much more positively tinted biography of Michael Collins (de Valera's opponent in the annals of modern Irish history) helps explain his vituperative stance toward de Valera. Reading the book you will get a minute level of detail about the man's life, but also a terrifically biased view thereof. Don't read it without also reading Ferriter's book alongside it.

A long book, but necessary to get at De Valera's long life and sometimes bizarre behavior and get past the myths. Coogan does a great job to keep the book moving despite the need for lots of details.

Author Coogan's works on Irish history tend to be long, very well researched, deeply documented and rich in detail. They are written for the serious, not the casual reader. This biography of Eamon de Valera is no exception. Moreover, de Valera s life was complicated and controversial. He is scarcely a hero to many Irish Americans familiar with their native country's past. Most of all, he suffers-pitifully it says here- from comparisons to the true hero of Ireland?s struggle for independence-Michael Collins. Bad feeling between them was directly responsible for Ireland?s tragic Civil War in the mid 1920s. This reviewer freely admits to his definite prejudices against de Valera and one suspects that author Coogan agrees. The advice from here is to read Coogan s Michael Collins: The Man Who Made Ireland first. Those with ravenously whetted appetites may proceed-with caution- to this weighty and gloomy text. This reviewer's father once told him that one cannot understand modern Ireland without understanding de Valera. That much may be true-but why torture oneself? Why devote hours reading about a gloomy, narrow minded and devious Spanish Irishman such as this? And a math teacher no less! The bottom line is that both Collins and de Valera inspire strong feelings. Some actual knowledge of Irish history deepens this effect. The result is an abiding difficulty in writing a neutral review on one of those men just after you have just posted one on the other. This reviewer urges his amazon friends to read all the posted opinions on this weighty effort from the gifted, if long winded Tim Pat Coogan. Too much hand wriniging? Welcome to Irish history 101.

comprehensive bio,no punchs pulled,the man who was Ireland to rhe rest of the world for most of the 20th century,

Must read for anyone who wants to know history and politics from 1916to 1950 in Ireland,USA AND England.