100 Things You Didn't Know About Ireland: A Guide To Irish History and Civilization

This captivating book of Irish history and civilization is without a doubt, not your usual humdrum historical account of names, dates and battles. It is written in plain language for people of all ages. There is an enormous amount of information packed into a fairly short book. According to one review, "it's Irish history without the boring bits." The book recounts Ireland's numerous struggles for independence, equality, and justice, while giving due credit to the generosity and ingenuity, intellect and perseverance of many outstanding Irish people, for history is about the people. Right? Read about Irish men and women like Nellie Cashman who, after emigrating to America, led an Arctic Expedition to save snowed in silver miners or Captain Moonlight who actually was more than one person.
The first part of the book lists unusual facts, often dispelling common misconceptions about the Irish. Included is colorful and scintillating Irish (or I should say "brilliant") slang, scientific discoveries, trivia notes such as 'how beer saved Ireland' and English words derived from the Irish language.
While we cannot neglect the appalling realization summed up in the immortal words of Patrick Pearse "They have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace," neither can we ignore personal achievements by the Irish people. History is neither all bad nor all good.
In this, the 2nd Edition of 100 Things You Didn't Know About Ireland, the book has nearly doubled. The Bonus portion of the book, with over 50 more facts, is less social and harsher history. Some of it will make you proud. Some of it will tear at your heart strings but the truth is the truth and it had to be said. To leave this part out is to do an injustice to the Irish men and women who sacrificed for a better Ireland and for future generations. There can be no history at all without the cold hard truth that for centuries as a conquered nation, Ireland did not own her own country. This portion of the book shows how Ireland survived, person by person after years of poverty, starvation, eviction, and neglect by the British government. Numerous facts prove the irresponsibility of England toward Ireland throughout her history; it can best be summed up by the Irish writer and painter, George Russell (AE) and the words he wrote after the Lockout of 1913, when thousands of poorly paid and exploited Irish men and women lost their jobs all over Dublin. "You determined deliberately, in cold anger, to starve out one-third of the population of this city, to break the manhood of the men by the sight of the suffering of their wives, and the hunger of their children." Inside the book is also a special section with facts specifically about the Great Famine. As it says in the book, "read this part at your own risk." Some of it will test your sensibilities.
The book is simple, without long-winded flowery language. The goal is to give the reader a mini course in Irish history and entertain at the same time.