Atlas of the Irish Revolution

by John Crowley (Editor), Mike Murphy (Editor), Donal Ó Drisceoil (Editor)

The Atlas of the Irish Revolution is a definitive resource that brings to life this pivotal moment in Irish history and nation-building. Published to coincide with the centenary of the Easter Rising, this comprehensive and visually compelling volume brings together all of the current research on the revolutionary period, with contributions from leading scholars from around the world and from many disciplines. A chronological and thematically organized treatment of the period serves as the core of the Atlas, enhanced by over 400 color illustrations, maps and photographs. This academic tour de force illuminates the effects of the Revolution on Irish culture and politics, both past and present, and animates the period for anyone with a connection to or interest in Irish history.

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

984 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2017

About the author

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Reviews

[Barry Pierce]

The only way you can read the Atlas of the Irish Revolution is if you set up some kind of makeshift pulpit in a quiet room. Weighing in at 5kgs and almost 1,000 glossy pages, this book is an utter nightmare to actually read. Thankfully, its contents make up for pain.

Spanning a period of roughly the beginning of Home Rule to the end of the Civil War, the Atlas of the Irish Revolution is a step-by-step account of the creation of the modern Irish Republic. Presented as a book of essays from basically of all the country's leading historians, the Atlas is truly a landmark of research.

However it is not without its flaws. Perhaps the most glaring omission, in my opinion, is that the section on the Anglo-Irish Treaty begins with the signing of the Treaty. There is no essay discussing the Treaty negotiations. I am aware that they weren't exactly the most riveting of talks, but considering what an important document the Treaty was, the exclusion of its creation is glaring.

Then there is also the fact that many of the essays in this collection are but the briefest summaries of events. Many of the essays are essentially a condensed version of the book that the author has written on that specific subject. Therefore it is best to think of these essays as samplers. If you really enjoyed one essay, then you can go and read the author's book.

Special praise must be given to the emphasis given to the role of women in this book, as well as a fantastic selection of female historians (it is just wonderful to see the great Margaret Ward on these pages). The history of the Irish Republic is often summarised by the recitation of the names of the seven men who signed the Proclamation. The Atlas does its absolute best to emphasise the 'Irishwomen' mentioned at the beginning of that document.

It is not surprising that this book won Irish Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. Its editors deserve free drinks in every bar for life for the sheer amount of time and effort that must have gone into compiling this mammoth volume. Was the effort worth it? Absolutely. This is the definitive account of the Irish Revolution.

[Rob de W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edited in a similar way to it's predecessor, The Atlas of the Great Irish Famine, this book is a mammoth, centralised definitive source for the events that led to the creation of the Irish Free State, and eventually the Irish Republic.

Coming in at just under 1000 pages, you will find no better single book that deeply fleshes out almost all aspects of Irish politics in the first half of the 20th century.

Not only is it an excellent book, but if you're too lazy to go to the gym, a few reps of lifting this above your head will see you tearing up phonebooks in no time.