The Easter Rising: Revolution and Irish Nationalism 2nd Edition

Excellent historical review of the Easter Uprising.

I've always had dificulty understanding the situation in Ireland, but Mr. Ward's slender book does an excellent job of summarizing the history that has led to so much conflict. He explains briefly the history of Ireland, from the earliest Norman settlers and the colonialism of England, and it's attempts to gain greater control through settlement and land reform, and how Catholicism and Protestantism play into that mix. He also discusses the various forms of nationalism - Constitutional, Revolutionary, and Romantic - and how each has contributed to the political makeup over the years. Mr. Ward sees the 1916 Easter Rising, although not especially successful at the time, as a pivotal point in Ireland's history, galvanizing those in the Catholic south to push for their independence, and fortifying those in the Protestant north in their allegiance to the British crown. He also explains the consequences of the Rising and how it has shaped conditions since then. Especially interesting was learning how America and the many Irish who immigrated have had such a profound effect on the situation in Ireland.Although the actual discussion of the Rising itself is cursory, the history discussed is very enlightening in helping to understand such a complex situation. My initial impulse to read this book came from listening to U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" (particularly the "Rattle & Hum" DVD version) and to better understand the sentiments expressed. But I immediately found myself fascinated with the complex history of Ireland and started digging back into my family genealogy to find which counties my few Irish ancestors came from, giving me a greater feeling of connection to their lives. But mostly, it gave me a greater understanding of the reasons behind the conflicts I remember hearing about on the news when I was a kid back in the 70s and 80s. The book is perhaps a bit too academic and scholarly in it's focus to be considered casual reading, but it's short and not difficult.EDIT: After discussing this book with others more knowledgeable of Irish history I've learned that Mr. Ward greatly minimizes the extent of British culpability for the problems in Ireland. By sanitizing the history in this way, I feel that it can't possibly provide an accurate understanding of the reasons behind the violence and conflicts.

This book does a great job explaining the politics before and after the Easter Rising of 1916. When I first saw the book, I though it was going to be a book about the events of those days in 1916. But only the first chapter really talks about the actual Easter Rising. So, if you are looking for a book that only does the chronology of Easter 1916, you will be disappointed. But Ward does a great job explaining the difference between Constitutional Nationalist and the militant republican movement. He also does a great job in explaining the cultural differences, and how the Irish republicans used these cultural tools to their advantage. Finally, he ends the book by talking about the increase in Sinn Fein's political participation, due to the events of 1916.Again, if you are looking for a book purely on Easter 1916, this isn't it (I wish the book did go more in depth into Easter 1916, Pearse, Connolly, and others, that is why I only gave it four stars). But if you are looking for a book that tells the cause and effect of Easter 1916, this is a great book.

This book is much more than just the Easter Rising. The first chapter explains the Rising rather simply, making it easy to follow along. The following chapters explain everything from the causes of the Rising (Unionists, Republicans, Consititutionalists, Home Rulers, Romantics). It goes back more than a hundred year, giving a quick overview of Irish Colonialism by the English and focusing on the 19th century after the Act of Union in 1800. It includes political, popular, literary, and even sporting movements. Then it explains the imediate events of the Risings and goes on to explain the after effects, including Sinn Finn, etc. This book is really a short history of Anglo-Irish relations. It's written in a manner that anyone can pick it up and set it back down with a well rounded knowledge of the events. It even includes a chapter that explains the effects of Americans on Irish relations. This is a wonderful secondary source sutable for anyone wanted to gain some basic knowledge of the problems in Ireland or wanting to just get a solid background before going on to do any more reading.