Goodreads Ireland discussion

And ask any questions and other members can try answer ☺

Of course, we all know that history, and particularly Irish history, can be a pretty emotive and divisive subject, so, for the good of the group, I'm sure posters will aim to be tolerant of one another's viewpoints if any controversial topic arises...

Good point. Facts rather than opinions will help .

I like this suggestion. It leaves huge scope for discussion and comment which is great - but Irish people sticking to the facts?! :)

Within reason anyway . Obviously we'll add a sprinkling of spice to the stories ☺

I like this idea of asking questions to test people's knowledge of Irish history..interesting

http://www.irishhistorian.com/Quiz/Qu...

I did terribly, need to go and read my history books :o

As an American, I think this is a really helpful idea. I can think of many times when I was reading a novel and wasn't familiar with some important historical information crucial to understanding the plot: for instance, all of the historical info about education infused throughout Unspoken. Having GRI members answer questions I had made my reading much, much more clear and enjoyable.

I got 6 but it seems everytime you go in there is a different set of questions so maybe I got an easier bunch than you Seraphina.

5 here, though one of the questions was "Who founded Sinn Féin?" with one of the possible answers being Gerry Adams... so I think a 4 is more appropriate. :(

I got 8 in another one, mainly about Dublin. 2 in northern ireland history which was just shocking. I even tutted at myself.

I got a seven first time out but noticed a few mildly incorrect answers.

Good quiz, Seraphina. Alas I only got 6/10 right but I will claim 8/10 due to my natural need to exaggerate. :)

Reeling in the years is definitely worth a look. Its as good a resource for recent history as you'll see.

It's probably (sadly) my favourite show on tv-I have every episode on recorded DVD! I'd definitely recommend that anyone with an interest, particularly in the social history of Ireland, on both sides of the border, should watch it. It's be right up Barbara's and Theresa's street, in my opinion!

Emma wrote: "A few of us at various times have mentioned Reeling in the Years, a TV show produced by RTE which looks back at the events of each year. It won't include everything that happened in a given year, a..."

Thank you for posting this, Emma. I've often seen that series mentioned here, and I wondered how available it was. I'll look forward to watching the series.

Emma wrote: "@Cphe I'm not sure there is a clear start date. The Troubles emerged out of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and were at their peak during the 1970s and 1980s. In as much as there was as end ..."

And a bit off topic, but did anyone see the dramatisation of Omagh? Talk about gut-wrenching.

Who showed that. I missed it

It's a while ago now, Paul - I have it on DVD, but it was on one of the satellite channels not so long ago.

Ok

My friend's ancestors were from County Armagh. Her grandmother's name was Lappin and her granfather's name was McLeod. They know he was from Scotland, but his mother's maiden name was Ryan. Can you suggest any books for her about the history or myths of people from Armath specifically? Thanks. - Cate

Going for ancient myth but most of The Tain is set in Armagh .

Thanks, Paul! I'll pass this along to her.

Emain Macha or Navan Fort in Armagh was the seat of the king of Ulster at the time of the Táin, so anything from the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology would be pretty relevant.

Thank you, Kevin. She'll be thrilled with this information. - Cate

Early Irish Myths and Sagas by Jeffrey Gantz is something I'd recommend if she wanted to read up on some of the stories. Also I think I have one or two of these stories in PDF form if she is interested in a taster instead of committing to a full book. :)

Wow. That's very generous, Kevin. I'll pass this along to her. - Cate

I took the quiz twice and got 6 both times. I was surprised at what I got right. Asking questions such as what year Devalera was born though it a little silly unless you have answers that are really far apart in years. Does it matter if one knows if he was born in 1890 or 1885? Other questions were more substantive.

I have started reading The Truth Commissioner: A Novel by David Park which is kind of a pseudo historical novel about Northern Ireland. I suspect some of my book club members may think it's based on facts.

Regarding The Tain, there are at least 3 versions - Thomas Kinsella's, Ciaran Carson and The Raid by Randy Lee Eickhoff. Carson's translation is my favorite.

Seraphina wrote: "http://www.irishhistorian.com/Quiz/Qu..."

Something of this MOOC must have rubbed off as I got 7!! :))

Theresa wrote: "Seraphina wrote: "http://www.irishhistorian.com/Quiz/Qu..."

Something of this MOOC must have rubbed off as I got 7!! :))"

The questions are different each time I get it. The MOOC has definitely helped but I keep getting 6. I don't know the years especially when the choices are so close such as 1801, 1803 and 1817 for Robert Emmett. I have never been a believer in knowing the exact date of events.

Barbara, to be fair there was a lot of guess work involved and as I'm an ignoramus on anything pre- mid nineteenth century there was a lot of luck involved.

Theresa wrote: "Barbara, to be fair there was a lot of guess work involved and as I'm an ignoramus on anything pre- mid nineteenth century there was a lot of luck involved."

Definitely. And I got the Fianna Fail question wrong. Being a Yank I don't have a good handle on the history of the 2 major parties. And I would venture to say your guesswork is often "educated" guesses.

Barbara wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Barbara, to be fair there was a lot of guess work involved and as I'm an ignoramus on anything pre- mid nineteenth century there was a lot of luck involved."

Definitely. And I got ..."

To be honest, Barbara I don't think most Irish people have a handle on the political parties either! :)

Thanks for that Emma.
While we are on the topic, have any of you read the book, The Rebel Countess? It's a book about Countess Markievicz, a figure I've always wanted to read up on. I would add a link to the book but I'm on my phone.

There's a few books by the name about her. She's certainly an interesting character, scandalous for the time even before the citizen army

Hello Kevin. Do you mean The Rebel Countess by Anne Marreco published in 1967? I remember my father had a copy! It is still quoted in bibliographies such as in: No Ordinary Women: Irish Female Activists in the Revolutionary Years, 1900-1923 (2004) by Sinead McCoole (2004) and Cumann na mBan and the Irish Revolution (2007?) by Cal McCarthy. How it reads I don't know but I given the research into women's lives since then it would be also worth looking at something else for a more up to date biography. I'd still give a try though and it should be easy enough to pick up a cheap second copy. It may be on one of our many reading lists from the MOOC.....

That's the one, thanks Theresa. It's lashing rain here at the moment so I'm seeking refuge in the college library catching up on my own course reading lists. I've picked up a copy from the library while I'm here so I will hopefully get a chance to read it over the weekend. The reviews for it look promising, and I have to agree with you Paul, there is something striking about a rebellious woman such as her.

That's the one, thanks Theresa. It's lashing rain here at the moment so I'm seeking refuge in the college library catching up on my own course reading lists. I've picked up a copy from the library while I'm here so I will hopefully get a chance to read it over the weekend. The reviews for it look promising, and I have to agree with you Paul, there is something striking about a rebellious woman such as her.

Kevin, having aroused our curiosity don't forget to tell us what you think of the book.

Thanks Emma!
Kevin - I have several books on Constance Markievicz including the Anne Marreco book and another by Jacqueline Van Voris Constance de Markievicz: In the Cause of Ireland
The Van Voris book was also published in a "mini" version:
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookD...

As you may have guessed, I have a deep and abiding interest in the Countess.
A friend gave me a copy of Sean O'Faolain's book about her:
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookD...

Thanks Barbara. Would you recommend that I read both books or do they both overlap each other?

It's been such a long time since I've read the Van Voris book I can't say. I usually choose newer books as I think they usually cover what previous books have and then expand. Of course, that is a pretty simplistic approach. You are encouraging me to reread these:) And

Theresa has mentioned a couple of books I also want to read - the book on Cumann na Ban and the No Ordinary Women. I have the second book and know I want the first one as well.

I would say for me, my first class that had anything to do with anything Irish was a course on Irish history in undergraduate. That of course got me interested in looking for more women's history. When I started, there weren't a lot of books, but this has improved, somewhat. I suppose that motivated me to buy whatever I could find on the subject.

Brian wrote: "Barbara wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Barbara, to be fair there was a lot of guess work involved and as I'm an ignoramus on anything pre- mid nineteenth century there was a lot of luck involved."

Defini..."

That makes me feel better:) I am not apolitcal at all, just not paying enough attention.

Kevin, I read Terrible Beauty: (A Life Of Constance Markievicz, 1868-1927)which I thought was all right but not fantastic. She did come across as a somewhat eccentric and privileged figure in that book but its hard to tell from one book alone. That whole pre-1916 period was an absolutely fascinating period and she was certainly a product of her time. You had the nationalist movement, you had James Connelly's social movement which incorporated a whole range of different sub-groups including unions, women suffragettes etc. etc.). You also had the whole romantic nationalist arts side of things with Yeats and his supporters and the bizarre Golden Dawn to mention but a few. Looking back now, Dublin appears as a keg of gunpowder that must have just been waiting to go up.

Definitely Brian. I can't wait to tuck into these books and get a much fuller view on her life and what she got up to. It's hard to tell if she was a truly ruthless nationalist or if she was just plain mad. If I remember right she told the court when she was arrested in 1916 "I wish you lot had the decency to shoot me". Provided this statement is true, you couldn't hell but respect and love her.

That's for sure, Kevin. She was certainly a character. To be honest, I suspect she was just plain mad but it does seem to have been a symptom of the times. One other story I love about her is how she started the Irish equivalent of the Boy Scouts to confront Baden Powell's version and then ended up training them in the use of weapons. Apparently, quite a lot of them ended up fighting in 1916.

I'm going to put this question out there and I welcome all opinions on it. At the time of the easter rising we (the Irish) pretty much made a mockery people like Markievicz and Pearse. Same with many figures of history in general.
With this in mind, do you think there are any such figures like that present in Ireland today? That perhaps in years to come we will think of as revolutionary.

Kevin wrote: "I'm going to put this question out there and I welcome all opinions on it. At the time of the easter rising we (the Irish) pretty much made a mockery people like Markievicz and Pearse. Same with ma..."

Great question Kevin. I'll be interested in seeing how people respond.

As much as I dislike the man I'd say Michael O Leary . His business model will go down as revolutionary and he's built quite the empire.