A Military History of Ireland [Hardcover]

Thomas Bartlett (Editor), Keith Jeffery (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521415993 | ISBN-13: 978-0521415996 | Publication Date: February 23, 1996 | Edition: 1St Edition

This fully-illustrated collaborative volume deals with all aspects of Irish military history, but especially the relationship between armies and soldiers in Ireland with Irish society in general. It covers Irish soldiers, armies and battles in eighteen clearly-organized chronological chapters, ranging from the middle of the first millennium AD to modern times. As a whole it brings a new and exciting dimension to Irish military history, that has concentrated hitherto on battles and tactics. The text is illustrated throughout by over 120 pictures and maps.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Bartlett (Univ. Coll., Dublin) and Jeffery (Univ. of Ulster) have collected 18 essays on the history of the Irish soldier and Irish armies, beginning in pre-1100 and concluding with a review of current military policies and problems in Northern Ireland and the Republic. The essays are written by recognized scholars who are authorities on the times and topics. Several examine the origins of the enviable reputation that medieval Irish soldiers had for stamina and fighting. Others discuss Irish mercenaries and, ironically, the chronically anemic condition of the Republic's military force and how the more robust Irish Republican Army has grown in the north. The current status, policies, and plans of the Republic's army, the paramilitary groups in the north, and their relationships with the U.S. military are objectively explained without lapsing into politics. This title should be part of any academic collection; it is readable but may be too dry for public collections.?Robert C. Moore, DuPont Merck Pharmaceuticals, N. Billerica, Mass.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...[a] valuable first comprehensive "military history" of Ireland....[it] works remarkably well on a number of levels. It is, for example, rich in human-interest detail and anecdotes that will surprise and delight even specialist historians. In a more thematic way, the book succeeds also in being a braod, thousand-year history of the military in Ireland. Thirdly, because so much of Ireland's history has been one of conflict and coercion, the book also can be read profitably as a general history of Ireland. A variety of readers--professor, student, or general public--will find much to enjoy and learn in this very readable volume." Irish Literary Supplement

"The essays are written by recognized scholars who are authorities on the times and topics . . . This titles should be part of any academic collection." --Library Journal

In a new and well-researched book, authors Thomas Bartlett and Keith Jeffrey have written what will become the definitive history in regards to the Irish in the military....'We have had an extraordinary military history', wrote Hayes-McCoy and the chapters in this superb book confirm this. Highly recommeded and engrossing reading." Robert Lynn, Vet Outlook

"Because the significance of Ireland's military past extends far beyond the country's shores, this study holds importance for military historians working in fields other than Irish history....individually each essay displays a consistently high quality of research and analysis, making important contributions to its given topic. Together these essays successfully complement one another, providing the most comprehensive study of the military affairs of Ireland's past to date. The bibliography, which contains over 750 items, is the most thorough listing of works on Irish military history available. Not only is this an essential reference for Ireland's military past, it also represents an important contribution to military history in general." Journal of Military History

"This large, handsomely produced volume ranges from the Middle Ages to the present day, probing the experience of a small country that has witnessed chronic warfare at home and sent its sons in large numbers to wage it elswhere....This is, in short, a comprehensive and engrossing study, of interest not only to students of the history of Britain's former empire, but of military culture in general." Foreign Affairs

"Not only is this an essential reference for Ireland's military past, it also represents an important contribution to military history in general." Journal of Military History

"...the Bartlett and Jeffery volume goes far in filling the gaps in Irish historiography....the volume is well integrated....The authors and editors are to be commended for not focusing excessively on episodes of intense military activity....they and the other contributors have produced a work that is likely to stand for many years as the standard general reference on Irish military history." Paul E. Kopperman, Albion

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 591 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1St Edition edition (February 23, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521415993
• ISBN-13: 978-0521415996
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.2 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,113,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The standard work on Ireland's military traditions., July 10, 2001

By 

John W. Hurley (NY, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Military History of Ireland (Hardcover)

In "A Military History of Ireland" editors Thomas Bartlett and Keith Jeffery brought together some of the best essays on Irish military history available to the modern reader. The authors discuss the early and medieval military traditions of the Irish and trace these traditions into the modern era. Those looking strictly for information on battle tactics etc. will be disappointed however. Throughout the book the focus is on the formation of bands of Irish fighting men and the evolution of this process in Ireland to the creation of modern military regiments and armies, and includes extensive information about the formation and nature of British army regiments in Ireland. The first few essays on the medieval Gaelic and Norman Irish military traditions however, makes this book worth getting, especially now that it's available (for $29.95!) in softcover.