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The Revelation of Ireland: 1995 - 2020
Ireland is a strikingly different country now to the one it was in the mid-1990s. Dramatic economic, social and cultural changes, including the Celtic Tiger boom and increasingly secular debate about abortion, the status of women and same-sex marriage underlined the scale of the transformation. The new diversity of the population and literary and musical prowess also revealed a country experiencing rapid alteration.
The road to peace - that saw an end to war in Northern Ireland and culminated in the first visit to southern Ireland of a reigning British monarch in 100 years - illuminated the new Anglo-Irish dynamic. Explosive revelations about deep betrayals from the past destroyed the credibility of the traditionally powerful Catholic Church. And in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, Ireland rebounded and rebuilt to great success, but remained plagued by health and housing failures. Economic recovery, the end of civil war politics, ever closer European involvement and Anglo-Irish highs were followed by Brexit lows and increasing talk of Irish unity.
There is much to open people's eyes in this riveting account of contemporary Ireland. As the Republic enters its second century of independence, and the North continues to grapple with the legacy of the Troubles, Diarmaid Ferriter makes historical sense of post-1990s Ireland, and what lies in the darkest corners of its archives.
The road to peace - that saw an end to war in Northern Ireland and culminated in the first visit to southern Ireland of a reigning British monarch in 100 years - illuminated the new Anglo-Irish dynamic. Explosive revelations about deep betrayals from the past destroyed the credibility of the traditionally powerful Catholic Church. And in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, Ireland rebounded and rebuilt to great success, but remained plagued by health and housing failures. Economic recovery, the end of civil war politics, ever closer European involvement and Anglo-Irish highs were followed by Brexit lows and increasing talk of Irish unity.
There is much to open people's eyes in this riveting account of contemporary Ireland. As the Republic enters its second century of independence, and the North continues to grapple with the legacy of the Troubles, Diarmaid Ferriter makes historical sense of post-1990s Ireland, and what lies in the darkest corners of its archives.
558 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 1, 2025
Like much of Ferriter's work, this is a well-researched introductory volume for anyone looking for a general reader on modern Irish history. Very broad in scope and references (probably the only book I've ever read that cites Denise Chaila, Zionist historian Rory Miller and Terry Wogan's obituary in the same chapter), it's best viewed as a reference volume than a comprehensive history of the era. Topics like the decline of the Catholic Church into irrelevance or the change in status of LGBT people in Ireland in that period are far too nuanced to be understood properly in the space allocated here.
What's missing is any real sense of how the left and social movements (across the political spectrum) were part of this social and political transformation - even the water charges or Repeal campaign are near-footnotes despite obviously reflecting and driving major changes in society. The 6 counties also come and go from the narrative in ways that can't but leave this work feeling incomplete, given neoliberalism and the aftermath of the GFA would see much of society across both Irish states become more integrated than at any point since partition in many respects.
What's missing is any real sense of how the left and social movements (across the political spectrum) were part of this social and political transformation - even the water charges or Repeal campaign are near-footnotes despite obviously reflecting and driving major changes in society. The 6 counties also come and go from the narrative in ways that can't but leave this work feeling incomplete, given neoliberalism and the aftermath of the GFA would see much of society across both Irish states become more integrated than at any point since partition in many respects.
December 19, 2024
A masterly and hugely informative volume for a blow-in like me. Pulling no punches and drawing on deep research and resources, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
July 3, 2025
This is reeling in the years from 1995 to 2020 for those who love looking back with the 20/20 vision of historical analysis. The chapters cover:
1. Politics in the Republic
2. Northern Ireland
3. Banking Crisis
4. Foreign Policy—Ireland and the rest of the World
5. The Loosening Grip of Catholicism
6. Social Contract – Housing, Healthcare, and all the scandals
7. Culture, writing, theatre, music.
If a reader had just landed in Ireland and was trying to understand the place, this book would probably be a difficult one to help them. I lived through it and found it jogged my memory, but I needed the backstory and knowledge of context and players to make sense of it.
Chapter 1 on Politics covers the many tribunals, which seemed a waste of money at the time but probably have made Ireland a less corrupt place and that actually does bring in the money. So maybe all the money given to the barristers was worth it. They probably earned it given the amount of shite they had to listen to.
Northern Ireland in those 25 years was a much better place than the 25 years before, so that’s a more uplifting read than studying the Troubles. Still, it also shows that there is a long way to go and the current agreement is far from perfect and can be fragile at times.
Reading Chapter 3 about the Banking Crisis makes you want to throw the book at any of the many players in that crisis who thought they were masters of the universe. And the big question hanging over it all is—did we really have to sign that guarantee?
Chapter 4 is about little old Ireland trying to make its way with soft power amongst the big players and sometimes hiding behind or from our two neighbours. Foreign policy has gotten much more complicated since 2020 so it will be good to see the next installment.
Chapter 5 The loosening grip of Catholicism. This may be the best chapter in the book. Gives true meaning to the revelation of Ireland title. The abuse committed by the church was hiding in plain sight until the revelations of the 90s and 21st century.
Chapter 6: The Social Contract. Tax and left-right politics, homelessness, health, education scandals and good progress. Loads of revelations there, such as the cervical scan scandal and the abortion referendum. Education is a good piece where it shows how far we've come in the 21st century.
Chapter 7 is a roundup of all things culture, including music, Riverdance, and country music.
Sport GAA amateur status.
A good read if you're interested in understanding Ireland a little deeper than reading the shallow snapshot of daily news.
1. Politics in the Republic
2. Northern Ireland
3. Banking Crisis
4. Foreign Policy—Ireland and the rest of the World
5. The Loosening Grip of Catholicism
6. Social Contract – Housing, Healthcare, and all the scandals
7. Culture, writing, theatre, music.
If a reader had just landed in Ireland and was trying to understand the place, this book would probably be a difficult one to help them. I lived through it and found it jogged my memory, but I needed the backstory and knowledge of context and players to make sense of it.
Chapter 1 on Politics covers the many tribunals, which seemed a waste of money at the time but probably have made Ireland a less corrupt place and that actually does bring in the money. So maybe all the money given to the barristers was worth it. They probably earned it given the amount of shite they had to listen to.
Northern Ireland in those 25 years was a much better place than the 25 years before, so that’s a more uplifting read than studying the Troubles. Still, it also shows that there is a long way to go and the current agreement is far from perfect and can be fragile at times.
Reading Chapter 3 about the Banking Crisis makes you want to throw the book at any of the many players in that crisis who thought they were masters of the universe. And the big question hanging over it all is—did we really have to sign that guarantee?
Chapter 4 is about little old Ireland trying to make its way with soft power amongst the big players and sometimes hiding behind or from our two neighbours. Foreign policy has gotten much more complicated since 2020 so it will be good to see the next installment.
Chapter 5 The loosening grip of Catholicism. This may be the best chapter in the book. Gives true meaning to the revelation of Ireland title. The abuse committed by the church was hiding in plain sight until the revelations of the 90s and 21st century.
Chapter 6: The Social Contract. Tax and left-right politics, homelessness, health, education scandals and good progress. Loads of revelations there, such as the cervical scan scandal and the abortion referendum. Education is a good piece where it shows how far we've come in the 21st century.
Chapter 7 is a roundup of all things culture, including music, Riverdance, and country music.
Sport GAA amateur status.
A good read if you're interested in understanding Ireland a little deeper than reading the shallow snapshot of daily news.
February 24, 2025
The biblical meaning of the word revelation is the communication of the truth, involving the uncovering of truths not yet seen before. This is certainly the tone and approach of historian, broadcaster and columnist Diarmaid Ferriter's ambitious and comprehensive work on the social, economic and political transformation of Ireland in the 1995-2020 period resulting in a nation unrecognizable today from that of the early 1990's. This is though no victory lap or one-sided extolling of a remarkable transformation; Ferriter shines a harsh light in every corner and is unflinchingly and scathingly critical where he has to be as well as doling out praise and admiration where it is due.
The first topic tackled is Ireland's political culture, which has overcome but not entirely left behind the endemic and insidious corruption of its past. The painstaking Northern Irish peace process is dissected in its grueling detail. The big issues of housing and health, so much at the forefront of the 2024 general election, lie unresolved as the new Government begins its work. Taboos such as domestic abuse are explored. The oft-celebrated liberation of the country from the shackles of the catholic church as its grip on Ireland was destroyed in the revelation of the abuse scandals is examined in the context of what our religious identity means going forward.
Ferriter comes into his own in the section on the economic miracle of the Celtic Tiger, and reveals the deep flaws and mistakes which led to the failure to avoid boom and bust cycles and to anticipate the dangers of overheating. He describes the banking scandals and unique Irish traits that directly led to these : look-the-other-way regulation, the disastrous triangular entanglement of legislators/politicians and property developers with bankers. As Fintan O'Toole so deftly put it, the ability of the Irish to see and unsee at the same time. He probes whether the lessons from all this have really been learned going forward.
Another chapter deals with Ireland's relationship to the outside world - attitudes to the EU, Brexit, the thorny question of immigration. His critical eye of revelation is cast on racism, antisemitism and our poor record on climate action.
Ferriter is undoubtedly an intellectual powerhouse and deep thinker. Compared to the wit, satire and withering irony of Fintan O'Toole his style is rather dry whilst displaying the odd ray of dark and cutting humor. he blends history with current affairs, and in doing so addresses the question of when contemporary history can actually be categorized as history and when does it cease to be current affairs. He reveals the truth that in the case of Ireland the story is a continually evolving one, and to escape the mistakes of the past being repeated or carried forward it is essential to confront the revelations that our story is not just one of remarkable progress and development to be celebrated, but one which is also interspersed with flaws the revelation of which can make us wiser and better equipped to deal with the next chapter of our evolving journey.
The first topic tackled is Ireland's political culture, which has overcome but not entirely left behind the endemic and insidious corruption of its past. The painstaking Northern Irish peace process is dissected in its grueling detail. The big issues of housing and health, so much at the forefront of the 2024 general election, lie unresolved as the new Government begins its work. Taboos such as domestic abuse are explored. The oft-celebrated liberation of the country from the shackles of the catholic church as its grip on Ireland was destroyed in the revelation of the abuse scandals is examined in the context of what our religious identity means going forward.
Ferriter comes into his own in the section on the economic miracle of the Celtic Tiger, and reveals the deep flaws and mistakes which led to the failure to avoid boom and bust cycles and to anticipate the dangers of overheating. He describes the banking scandals and unique Irish traits that directly led to these : look-the-other-way regulation, the disastrous triangular entanglement of legislators/politicians and property developers with bankers. As Fintan O'Toole so deftly put it, the ability of the Irish to see and unsee at the same time. He probes whether the lessons from all this have really been learned going forward.
Another chapter deals with Ireland's relationship to the outside world - attitudes to the EU, Brexit, the thorny question of immigration. His critical eye of revelation is cast on racism, antisemitism and our poor record on climate action.
Ferriter is undoubtedly an intellectual powerhouse and deep thinker. Compared to the wit, satire and withering irony of Fintan O'Toole his style is rather dry whilst displaying the odd ray of dark and cutting humor. he blends history with current affairs, and in doing so addresses the question of when contemporary history can actually be categorized as history and when does it cease to be current affairs. He reveals the truth that in the case of Ireland the story is a continually evolving one, and to escape the mistakes of the past being repeated or carried forward it is essential to confront the revelations that our story is not just one of remarkable progress and development to be celebrated, but one which is also interspersed with flaws the revelation of which can make us wiser and better equipped to deal with the next chapter of our evolving journey.
March 28, 2025
I set out to read this despite an Irish colleague describing Ferriter as an "alco left contrarian." I figured it would be good for me to read an establishment historian's take on modern Irish history and contrast it with my own conclusions.
I vacillated between two stars and one because works like this one will offer historical value in analyzing how unrestrained liberalism so ruthlessly dismantled a once-proud society.
A recent assertion from Christopher Caldwell is worth recalling here: "There are still a few opposition voices online in Ireland...But in general, opinion in Ireland is fairly well steered. You could even call it groomed. To put it more bluntly: When they are talking about immigration or homosexuality or religion, those who are not in lockstep with the official culture appear scared to death."
Ferriter is firmly in lockstep. At the top of the "Sources and Bibliography," the reader finds the National Library of Ireland's "Irish Queer Archive." In his chapter on the economy, he laments, "A particular low point was reached in May 2014 when, excruciatingly, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan ensured the red carpet and Irish jig treatment for charlatan, bankrupt and blowhard businessman Donald Trump at Shannon airport..."
Such sentiments are consistent with doctrinal purity of the Dublin managerial class, of course. What else could I expect? So I persevered.
The chapter on immigration proved too much for me, so this is where I put down the book for good.
Ferriter complains - apparently without irony - that an Irish government diaspora initiative "was largely focused on roots, genealogy and whiteness..." He later quotes - again, it seems, unironically - a "Zambian-born Limerick-based rapper and poet" who "teased out the identity conundrums in her 2019 poem 'Duel Citizenship'".
That was where I tapped out. It was a litany of the sort of self-important hubris that drips off the page in corporate Irish and British media. Or, to put it differently, it is a text consistent with the dogma of European managerial liberalism. On that note, it is worth adding I did not make it to the chapter on the Catholic Church. If I had, I surely would have stopped reading at that point.
This will be a useful text in 50 or 100 years, when historians examine what went wrong. Fair play, Mr. Ferriter - your side had its way with Ireland.
I vacillated between two stars and one because works like this one will offer historical value in analyzing how unrestrained liberalism so ruthlessly dismantled a once-proud society.
A recent assertion from Christopher Caldwell is worth recalling here: "There are still a few opposition voices online in Ireland...But in general, opinion in Ireland is fairly well steered. You could even call it groomed. To put it more bluntly: When they are talking about immigration or homosexuality or religion, those who are not in lockstep with the official culture appear scared to death."
Ferriter is firmly in lockstep. At the top of the "Sources and Bibliography," the reader finds the National Library of Ireland's "Irish Queer Archive." In his chapter on the economy, he laments, "A particular low point was reached in May 2014 when, excruciatingly, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan ensured the red carpet and Irish jig treatment for charlatan, bankrupt and blowhard businessman Donald Trump at Shannon airport..."
Such sentiments are consistent with doctrinal purity of the Dublin managerial class, of course. What else could I expect? So I persevered.
The chapter on immigration proved too much for me, so this is where I put down the book for good.
Ferriter complains - apparently without irony - that an Irish government diaspora initiative "was largely focused on roots, genealogy and whiteness..." He later quotes - again, it seems, unironically - a "Zambian-born Limerick-based rapper and poet" who "teased out the identity conundrums in her 2019 poem 'Duel Citizenship'".
That was where I tapped out. It was a litany of the sort of self-important hubris that drips off the page in corporate Irish and British media. Or, to put it differently, it is a text consistent with the dogma of European managerial liberalism. On that note, it is worth adding I did not make it to the chapter on the Catholic Church. If I had, I surely would have stopped reading at that point.
This will be a useful text in 50 or 100 years, when historians examine what went wrong. Fair play, Mr. Ferriter - your side had its way with Ireland.
June 10, 2025
a thoroughly researched and considered account of the last few decades of ireland, from a social, political, cultural and ecological perspective. really enjoyed how it intertwined historical events with contemporary accounts from journalists, poets, and authors, making that key connection between words on a timeline and the real emotional ramifications. being more of an account and less of an analysis was a shame, but i suppose the events are too recent to fully analyse. unlike O'Toole's 'We Don't Know Ourselves,' this book does not have much of a thesis beyond its title, stating that the last 30 years in ireland have been full of revelations that conglomerate into one, though perhaps trying to outline it into 'one revelation' is too great a task for a simple thesis, hence requiring 450 pages.
it's a shame because i only really connected with Ferriter's writing style in the second last chapter, so perhaps this will be worth a re-read in time. i agree with other reviewers that this is a fantastic introductory book into recent irish history, however any insight into specific areas should be sought after. also, as a prescriber of the idea that a culture cannot be fully understood through mere observation but rather experience (thank you UQ), i still feel that it is a mere aid in helping to understand ireland and its culture, not the book with all the answers that gives a perfect cultural understanding.
a bit bummed there was no conclusion (call me a sucker for conclusions) but i suppose any conclusion could be proven wrong very quickly with how much ireland has been changing. a big aspect of the book was, after all, that you cannot simplify history.
it's a shame because i only really connected with Ferriter's writing style in the second last chapter, so perhaps this will be worth a re-read in time. i agree with other reviewers that this is a fantastic introductory book into recent irish history, however any insight into specific areas should be sought after. also, as a prescriber of the idea that a culture cannot be fully understood through mere observation but rather experience (thank you UQ), i still feel that it is a mere aid in helping to understand ireland and its culture, not the book with all the answers that gives a perfect cultural understanding.
a bit bummed there was no conclusion (call me a sucker for conclusions) but i suppose any conclusion could be proven wrong very quickly with how much ireland has been changing. a big aspect of the book was, after all, that you cannot simplify history.
May 17, 2025
It's a ranging, balanced, and well-researched history of modern Ireland. Each chapter and section dissects a topic. But the book doesn't really build to anything, unlike say "We Don't Know Ourselves" by Fintan O'Toole. This is just history as a series of events.
Even so, it's a good read. Ferriter manages to write expansively about a range of contemporary topics in a convincing way, perhaps just because I don't know Irish history. He is probably strongest at writing about political and cultural economy, with not enough time spent on economic or business history, a major oversight given the rise of Ireland as tax and privacy haven in this time period.
I was trying to work out why Irish historians are so good, and I think it's because educated, intelligent people are still nationalistic. This means they can cover topics of unimaginable abuse (e.g. of children by the Catholic Church or of civilians by the IRA) and still find balance. By contrast, the problem with modern British historians is they become polemically anti-UK/empire to burnish their academic/progressive reputation. This means it's only right-ish figures like Niall Ferguson and Dominic Sandbrook who can write balanced and interesting British history books.
Even so, it's a good read. Ferriter manages to write expansively about a range of contemporary topics in a convincing way, perhaps just because I don't know Irish history. He is probably strongest at writing about political and cultural economy, with not enough time spent on economic or business history, a major oversight given the rise of Ireland as tax and privacy haven in this time period.
I was trying to work out why Irish historians are so good, and I think it's because educated, intelligent people are still nationalistic. This means they can cover topics of unimaginable abuse (e.g. of children by the Catholic Church or of civilians by the IRA) and still find balance. By contrast, the problem with modern British historians is they become polemically anti-UK/empire to burnish their academic/progressive reputation. This means it's only right-ish figures like Niall Ferguson and Dominic Sandbrook who can write balanced and interesting British history books.
November 23, 2025
The goat ferriter does it again, he never misses! Sweeping yet detailed, accessible but still nuanced, this book is really essential reading for everyone under the age of 30 in Ireland who wants to know how the country ended up this way, for better or worse
September 25, 2024
Finally know who Chuck Feeney is!
February 15, 2025
4.5 stars.
Absolutely loved it! A deeply insightful look into how Ireland has changed at a breakneck pace over the last quarter of a century.
Absolutely loved it! A deeply insightful look into how Ireland has changed at a breakneck pace over the last quarter of a century.
April 18, 2025
Much of the "revelation" referred to the period well before 1995.
Most positive sentences were followed by either "but", "yet" or "however"
It is as if Ireland is a third world country.
Most positive sentences were followed by either "but", "yet" or "however"
It is as if Ireland is a third world country.
December 3, 2025
I really liked this and the cultural references to music and books keep it quite easy to get but super niche complaint the audiobook chapters are like 2 hr / 2.5 hrs long it was painful
April 14, 2025
Much is made of politicans on the 'example' of Ireland. Whether it be economics, welfare, culture, social policy and arts bringing understanding of the past through exploration of the future.
It is measured, serious and explicitly captures the mentality and feel of the time period and the changes in society, governance and all Ireland is and was.
It is measured, serious and explicitly captures the mentality and feel of the time period and the changes in society, governance and all Ireland is and was.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews