A Traveller's History of Ireland (3rd ed) [Paperback]

Peter Neville (Author)

Book Description

Series: 3rd ed | Publication Date: April 1997

"This book will be appreciated by visitors who want more historical background than ordinary series guidebooks supply...Highly recommended..." - "Library Journal". "For independent, inquisitive travellers traversing the green roads of Ireland, there is no better guide than "A Traveller's History of Ireland." - "Small Press". Constantly in the news, there are few countries where the background history is so vital to an understanding of its people and culture. "A Traveller's History of Ireland" not only offers the reader a chronological outline of the nation's development right up to the present day but also provides an invaluable introduction to this land of poets, saints, eloquent politicians, illustrious soldiers and inspiring rebels. Political, social and industrial history and economics are also well covered. The book includes a comprehensive description of modern Ireland, both North and South, and of its two separate Catholic Nationalist and Protestant Unionist traditions. There is a Historical Gazetteer cross-referenced to the main text and particular attention is paid to the classic historical sites, which feature on any visitor's itinerary.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This book will be appreciated by visitors who want more historical background than ordinary series guidebooks supply. From discussions of the dawn of Irish history to the 1992 constitutional debate over abortion, Neville ably leads the reader through the complicated factors underlying the island's present religious and political strife. He recounts how Ireland was spared invasion by the Romans and shows how the Vikings, Normans, and English have left their marks. Useful features include a gazetteer of historical sites and a chronology of the major events from the year A.D. 77, when the Romans contemplated an invasion, to the 1992 approval of the Maastricht Treaty. Highly recommended for the travel collections of public libraries. --William R. Smith, Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Dr Peter Neville had three Irish grandparents and is a constant visitor to the country. He has taught history at the University of the West of England, Queen Mary and Westfield College and Wolverhampton University. He is the author of a major study of Sir Nevile Henderson and several other texts on modern British and European history. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 277 pages
• Publisher: Interlink Pub Group Inc; 3rd edition (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566562597
• ISBN-13: 978-1566562591
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,416,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Needs less history, more travel, July 19, 2001

By 

Rosencrantz (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Traveller's History of Ireland (3rd ed) (Paperback)

Starry-eyed and with a deep-seated love of the history of the place even before I had set foot there, I travelled to Paris after graduating university, armed not only with the obligatory budget guide to hostels and el-cheapo cafes, but with a last-minute find: "A Traveller's History of Paris". It was fabulous. Not only could I bore my travelling companion to tears photographing every angle of every building, but I could also talk her ear off from Notre Dame to the Louvre, recounting the historical anecdotes and trivia that went with each site.

I was looking forward to much the same when I ordered "A Traveller's History of Ireland". And from the point of view of history, this book certainly strives for thoroughness. However, in the end I left this one at home because it told me very little about specific histories of specific sites that I intended to visit throughout Ireland. Certainly it makes an effort, with the historical gazetteer at the back, to link the history to the geography; however, as a traveller, I much prefer to have the *places* enumerated and detailed than the periods.

As a history of Ireland, this book is not even that inspiring. Rather dry and sometimes pedantic, it lacks the lyrical energy that so informs the Irish love-affair with the written and spoken word. To get a sense of the flavour of Ireland's history, you'd do far better to read such personal accounts as Frank McCourt's deservedly popular memoirs, or the alternately funny and heart-rending novels of Roddy Doyle. For the romantic, browse Yeats' poems; for the ancient, explore the rich Irish folklore and mythology. Any of these will give you a better feel for the country and its spirit than this book, detailed and scholarly as it is.

I recommend this book mostly for that detail and scholarly approach. The title is misleading, though - this is not a book written with the traveller in mind.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a traveler's history, but OK, October 19, 2006

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Traveller's History of Ireland (Traveller's Histories) (Paperback)

This interesting little book is a history of Ireland, pure and simple - there is nothing particularly different for the traveler than any other Irish history book. As a history book, I did find this book to have a good deal of information, covering everything from prehistoric Ireland to the contemporary scene.

Now, as already said, this book has nothing in particular to offer the traveler, so if you are looking for that, you will be disappointed. As a history book, this book is somewhat disappointing because the author does not maintain objectivity about his subject. For example, when discussing the massacres of Protestants in 1641, the author minimizes the claims of losses and challenges the objectivity of the witnesses. But, when he comes to the massacres committed by Oliver Cromwell in 1649 he does not similarly challenge the historic record.

Well, am I saying that this is a bad book? No, in point of fact, I did find this to be a highly informative and interesting read. The author does a good job of covering Irish history in a smooth and interesting manner.

So, if you are looking for a good history book for the traveler, then don't get this book. If you are looking for an objective and clear-eyed book on Irish history...then don't get this book. But, if you are looking for a short, but highly informative book on Irish history, then you will enjoy this book. Just know what you are getting.