New York Times best-selling author Malachy McCourt offers an authoritative and engrossing one-volume chronicle of Ireland from pre-Christian times to the present, told with Irish flair by the gifted storyteller. The pages are populated with figures from myth, history, and the present, from Saint Patrick to Oliver Cromwell, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Charles Parnell, to Sinead O’Connor and Bono. Some beloved, some controversial-each influenced the course of Irish and world history. While McCourt vividly describes Ireland’s turbulent history, he also offers a cultural survey with fresh insights to the folklore, literature, art, music, and cuisine of Ireland, producing an irresistible tour through the Emerald Isle.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
McCourt (A Monk Swimming) breaks down Ireland's history into 16 sections and, through biographical vignettes, uses famous Irish men and woman to define each epoch. For example, he explores ancient Ireland by profiling the three most prominent Irish saints: Patrick, Brigid and Columcille. Each brief, colloquial sketch provides not only historical background but also colorful conjectures. Moving through history, readers encounter Brian Ború, the Irish king credited with expelling the Vikings and unifying Ireland; Strongbow, who led the Norman invasion of Ireland; and Hugh O'Neill, who battled Elizabeth for Irish freedom before succumbing in the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. Modern Ireland is represented by the likes of Theobald Wolfe Tone, a member of the (Presbyterian) United Irishmen, who led the unsuccessful revolution of 1798; and Daniel O'Connell, the Liberator, who brought religious freedom to Ireland's Catholics. Of course, modern revolutionary Ireland is represented by Michael Collins and Eamon De Valera, and there are also looks at writers W.B. Yeats and Samuel Beckett. McCourt takes us up to the present with portraits of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and rock star Bono. Interesting for the neophyte, this volume will be old news for the veteran reader of Irish history.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Malachy McCourt's earlier books, particularly A Monk Swimming, showed his great storytelling skills. The lilt of his voice can be heard in his writing. This is a much bigger book, telling Ireland's turbulent and eventful history from its earliest days right up to the twenty first century. McCourt's approach is unique. He has been inspired by the great and legendary personalities of his native land, starting with the mythical and semi-magical figures of Cuchullan, Maeve and Finn MacCool and the mystical knowledge of the Celtic people. Ireland's history and legends have always been recounted and passed on in equal measure by the storyteller at the fireside, with little distinction between fact and legend, and it is this engaging approach that makes this history so unique and so appealing. When a particular event sparks a train of thought the author is not afraid to take the reader along with him. This is one man's very readable account of the events that make Ireland what it is. It is not intended as a scholarly work, though it is well researched. Ireland's history has always proved confusing to British audiences, but McCourt's book is instantly accessible, packed full of larger than life characters and wild tales. Although his readers are warned that "truth has no business getting in the way of a good story", they will be enchanted and educated in equal measure. These features make this a valuable and important book. (Kirkus UK)
A celebrity-driven, dumbed-down, whirlwind tour of Hibernian history. History is about social movements, about catastrophe and conflict, about accidents, about misperceptions and misunderstandings. It's about power. McCourt (Singing My Him Song, 2000, etc.), brother of fellow nostalgia-monger Frank McCourt, knows this, but he puts on the blarney at the outset: "To anyone who knows me, it's no secret that I was never much for the formal schooling when I was a young fellow, paying scant attention when I did happen to attend, remembering little, and leaving it off completely at the ripe old age of thirteen." Q.E.D. What follows are textbook-glossing sketches on such matters as the Cattle Raid of Cooley, the Flight of the Earls (which McCourt sensibly proposes be rechristened "The Escape of the Earls"), and the recent Troubles, some rendered with only a passing command of the facts. (The word "bride," for example, does not come from the name of St. Brigid. It's pleasant to think that without the Irish there would be no such civilizing touches as marriage, but that's Thomas Cahill's territory.) These sketches hinge on individual personalities-Hugh O'Neill, Wolfe Tone, the inevitable James Joyce-whom McCourt approaches with reverential awe. The results are not helpful. Of one writer we learn, for instance: "Samuel Beckett was a fascinating man, who gave the world a great body of work." Of Bernadette Devlin, surely one of the more controversial figures in recent Irish history: "As a young university student, she turned to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for inspiration. In future years some young person, perhaps, will turn to her in the same way." Over U2 he swoons: "Passionate and thoughtful, the band brought intelligence back to rock-and-roll after what seemed like decades where stupidity in popular music was the norm." And so on, all in the manner of an enthusiastic village explainer-helpful if you're a village, otherwise not. Cliffs Notes for a barstool chat. Anyone with an inkling of the subject, though, will know that there are shelves full of better sources. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
A celebrity-driven, dumbed-down, whirlwind tour of Hibernian history. History is about social movements, about catastrophe and conflict, about accidents, about misperceptions and misunderstandings. It's about power. McCourt (Singing My Him Song, 2000, etc.), brother of fellow nostalgia-monger Frank McCourt, knows this, but he puts on the blarney at the outset: "To anyone who knows me, it's no secret that I was never much for the formal schooling when I was a young fellow, paying scant attention when I did happen to attend, remembering little, and leaving it off completely at the ripe old age of thirteen." Q.E.D. What follows are textbook-glossing sketches on such matters as the Cattle Raid of Cooley, the Flight of the Earls (which McCourt sensibly proposes be rechristened "The Escape of the Earls"), and the recent Troubles, some rendered with only a passing command of the facts. (The word "bride," for example, does not come from the name of St. Brigid. It's pleasant to think that without the Irish there would be no such civilizing touches as marriage, but that's Thomas Cahill's territory.) These sketches hinge on individual personalities-Hugh O'Neill, Wolfe Tone, the inevitable James Joyce-whom McCourt approaches with reverential awe. The results are not helpful. Of one writer we learn, for instance: "Samuel Beckett was a fascinating man, who gave the world a great body of work." Of Bernadette Devlin, surely one of the more controversial figures in recent Irish history: "As a young university student, she turned to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for inspiration. In future years some young person, perhaps, will turn to her in the same way." Over U2 he swoons: "Passionate and thoughtful, the band brought intelligence back to rock-and-roll after what seemed like decades where stupidity in popular music was the norm." And so on, all in the manner of an enthusiastic village explainer-helpful if you're a village, otherwise not. Cliffs Notes for a barstool chat. Anyone with an inkling of the subject, though, will know that there are shelves full of better sources. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Engagingly Irish...a warm overview of the Emerald Isle,
By Dr. Emil "Tom" Shuffhausen (Central Gulf Coast) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland (Hardcover)
To tell the history of Ireland, one needs to not only capture the truth of Ireland, but also the spirit of Ireland. What a tragedy it would be to tell Irish history in a boring or dry fashion. Fortunately for readers, McCourt not only captures fascinating historical details, but he is able to convey the story in an entertaining and rollicking fashion...as befitting the subject matter. The cast of characters here is huge and varied, ranging from St. Patrick to Yeats to Bono, and the book feels a bit like a friendly night at the pub with a nice fire, some songs, and a pint or two. McCourt takes an epic history, filled with triumph and tragedy, and brings it down to a personal level. This is a must-read for all who are Irish and all who are Irish at heart.
25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
not what i was looking for,
By David (Indiana) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland (Hardcover)
as one with virtually no knowledge of irish history, i bought this book with hopes of learning more about the interesting past of ireland, and especially about the complicated politics of 20th century ireland. this book was not one that fulfilled those hopes.
i'm not sure who mccourt's audience is - if you know a lot about ireland and its past, it seems like this book would offer you nothing new save prhaps a few interesting anecdotes. if, like me, you are looking for a starting point into irish history, i don't think this is a great book for you either. mccourt expects his readers to have a basic understanding of many events and political factions that are relevant to the past hundred years of ireland - if you don't have this knowledge, you may find yourself feeling you're missing large parts of the big picture. mccourt's history is focused on important irish individuals, which helps his story-telling style by giving him the chance to bring these people to life with his descriptive tales. but it hurts the book as a history, because he ends up bringing up events from a person's life before he gets to explaining them as part of another person's life. this was somewhat confusing. this isn't a terrible book - it paints interesting pictures of various figures from irish history. but if you want to gain an understanding of the whole of irish history, and especially if you're hoping to understand the forces at play in ireland's 20th century struggles for independence and unity, this is definitely not the book to read.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The little island to the west of England has brought more to the world than the world knows.,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Malachy McCourt's History of Ireland (paperback) (Paperback)
The little island to the west of England has brought more to the world than the world knows. Malachy McCourt's "History of Ireland" covers the nation's complete history, touching on subjects in its history as diverse as Viking invasions to Ireland's contributions to the fine arts. Nothing is left out- real history and mythology alike are covered in full. "History of Ireland" is comprehensive, well written and composed by best-selling author Malachy McCourt. It's a top pick for community library history collections, and for anyone who wants to learn more about this oft-forgotten major piece of world history.
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