A Pocket History of Ireland

by Joseph McCullough

Encompassing stories of some of Ireland s best known characters as well as key moments in Ireland s past, this pocket history recalls the country s struggles through dark times, its successes, its people and places. The wealth of Irish culture and tradition is described as well as the key events and people that have shaped the country today.

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Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ireland, Historical, Reference, Travel, Irish Literature

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Cinda]

Succinct guide to Irish history that was very helpful during recent research visit

[Daniel Kukwa]

By rights, a book this small shouldn't be a success in trying to tell the story of an entire nation. And yet, it does...and with a terrific and astonishing amount of detail for such a compact work. If you see this on the shelf and think of it as nothing more than a tourist souvenir book, you couldn't be more mistaken. This is the archetype for all works that claim to be concise, informative, and readable.

[Adrian Trujillo]

A Pocket History of Ireland is a great short read of the history of Ireland that includes Northern Ireland and Britain. This is the perfect book for someone who wants to learn about the major historical events that transpired in Ireland without reading a huge book. Joseph McCullough writes in understandable English for all ages. This book also includes many illustrations which is always a bonus. I have always been interested in Ireland and I had to pick up this book when I had previously visited Ireland. 🇮🇪

[Poovy]

A very interesting read especially having visited a lot of the places mentioned. It really helped me understand the rich history, the fight for freedom and hardships. It's also rather honest and describes the bloody and sometimes violent means the Irish also undertook showing us their humanity. Even if you don't visit Ireland, it's still worth reading.

[Mirjam]

Begin was een beetje rough met weinig info maar dat werd beter zodra we moderner kwamen (hoewel ik nog steeds het gevoel heb dat er heel veel is weggelaten, maar tbf het is wel een pocket history)

[Leone]

This book was recommended to me by my tour guide in Ireland. It is wonderfully succinct as it covers the hidStory of the island from the Stone Age to present day. It gave me a much better appreciation for what the people have lived through and also a good understanding of the waves of emigration from Ireland. I read it after my trip but it would have also been a good introduction for those planning a trip to Ireland and Northern Ireland.

[Emilija]

This was pretty decent at giving a quick overview of the history of Ireland. It doesn't go into depth or anything beyond surface level, but to introduce people who are vaguely interested in the topic, its a decent book.

[Wendy]

I was recently in Ireland and wandered into a bookstore looking for something comprehensive on Irish history and this was a recommended book by staff, and boy, did it hit the mark. A rich and simple narrative of the complex history of Ireland, it was so good! Highly recommended!

[abril ☀️]

que pesats els anglesos

[Mário Rocha]

The great and unsettling Irish history is told here as an unforgettable journey.

[Tom Conroy]

a fine overview of Irish history, from the ancient times to the 20th century. I read this last year while travelling around the south of Ireland and it helped provide historical context for all of the things I was seeing and experiencing. Its a short read and meant for a quick overview and it serves this purpose very well. But it also lead me to want to go more in depth. Five stars for being engaging, well illustrated and for offering good suggestions for further reading

[Norbert Dąbkowski]

Just as the title says, it is a "Pocket" history of Ireland. I love the diplomatic approach towards the relationship with the British, I would make it even more separatist... so to speak. :-) i enjoyed reading it immensely, it gives inspiration to explore the topic and implies where to look...

Great book to own indeed. :)

[Megan]

The was a great short recap of the entire Irish history. It is no replacement for a true history book if a true and deep understanding of Ireland's traumatic and bloody past; but, for someone with very limited knowledge on the subject and wants to know more, this book is perfect. Plus, for a book that is solely a history book, I found it very interesting and read the last 56% in one sitting.

[Bonnie]

On a recent trip to Ireland I picked up this book at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. During our trip it became apparent that I knew very little About the history of Ireland and I wanted a survey from the earliest inhabitants to today. I learned a lot!

[Carolyn Dawson]

An excellent little book.

[Mary Ellen Woods]

A nice concise history for someone traveling to Ireland and wanting more than a few pages of overview but nothing too in depth.

[Diana Lloyd]

Picked this little gem up in a gift shop in Ireland. Kept it handy while using “the throne” , day to day. Provides a brief summary of Irish history, touching on the key facts in chronological order. There are lots of books on Irish history if one wants to do a deeper dive into details and stories. This little book provides a good summary however of how and why Ireland got to where it is today, describing the most important figures and events in its history from the Stone Age, who were the Celts and Druids, myths, legends, religions, the Vikings, well-known saints, the Norman invasion, several rebellions, rise of Catholicism, Cromwell, sports, literary figures, and of course, the Troubles, its part in WW I and II, years of conflict and negotiations with the UK, until the Good Friday Agreement led to peaceful co-existence. 239 pages of interesting facts in a very readable style.

[Dan Cohen]

I'm not really sure what is the purpose of this book. It's too Noddy and simplified to make the reader feel like they know anything about the subject and it doesn't have any sort of flowing narrative. It feels more like a slightly overgrown children's primer and perhaps that was the intention. I could see myself dipping into it to remind myself of a few bullet points' worth of information on someone whose name I recognise but whose significance I have forgotten - like a miniature encyclopedia.

As for the text, I found it a little simplistic. The history is presented as a series of catastrophes, each seemingly worse than the last. The author does attempt to avoid blaming absolutely everything on England but this attitude peeps through repeatedly. Perhaps this is inevitable.

[Ashley Nicholson]

The primary criticism of this book is possibly its greatest strength, it covers a wide range of Irish history, covering the major events and characters required to understand how Ireland came to be the Ireland of today, however in order to do so in such an easily digestible and accessible format, it unfortunately does not delve particularly deeply into many aspects of Irish history. A great starting point, however further reading on the particular topics that interest the reader would definitely be recommended.

[Skye (Skye's Scribblings)]

Came across this randomly and decided to binge it to learn about Ireland, which I knew next to nothing about going in (my childhood education was eclectic). Clear and concise with lots of colorful images to bring everything to life, it gave me a good overview of the history and some of the culture without feeling like a textbook. Very glad I read it.

[D. C. Grenier]

I fell in love with Ireland during a lovely summer trip and bought this pocket book there. It does what it says on the cover, it helps the reader have a concise understanding of the rich history of this beautiful place. Joseph McCullough did a good job of it.
I will also keep reading pocket books from Gill Publishing. They have an entire selection of pocket books and much more!

[Charli Huston]

Really enjoyed this and learned a LOT that I didn’t know. It’s amazing to realise how little we (British) are taught about the horrific atrocities committed in Ireland.

4 ⭐️ as I would have liked to learn a bit more about Gerry Adams, and the troubles. Random page about Bono but not for the likes of The Cranberries etc.

[Linda]

I bought this on a recent trip to Ireland in one of the gift shops and finished reading it on the plane home. On my trip I realized that my knowledge of Irish history was definitely lacking and this gave a very nice overview.

[Rebecca]

***An outstanding historical overview***

Bought this during a road trip around Ireland and can honestly say Irish people and their history will never leave me. What a great book about an even greater nation.

[Roberta Rosa]

Perfectly summarized the main points in Irish History. Best souvenir I bought in Ireland

[Geneviève BENDALL-GODQUIN]

Excellent ! Tout savoir sur ce merveilleux pays. Merci frangine!

[Henni]

Selvom det er en lille og, giver den et fint indblik i Irlands historie og nogle af nøglepersonerne.

[Ada]

Short notes: very readible for somebody who knows nothing about the history of Ireland. Begrippenlijst was wel prettig geweest. Mistte een tijdlijn. Pictures were pretty.

[Lindsey]

Excellent summary of the most prominent events in Irish history.

[Sonee Singh]

Short and informative