Appropriately enough for the time of year when a lot of alcohol is consumed, here’s a story about how the IRA campaign of the late 70s and early 80s nearly cost Ireland one of its best-known tipples: Brewer Guinness was…
Author: Bruce Gaston
The Irish History Compressed ebook winter sale
In the tradition of Christmas sales we’ve reduced the price of the Irish History Compressed ebook[1] to £1.49 till the New Year. Apologies to those in other countries but the price is already at the lowest level Amazon will allow. “But…
The Re-Introduction of Direct Rule in Northern Ireland: 24 March 1972
Forty years ago on this day, the British government reassumed direct control of the province of Northern Ireland, thus ending one half of an early British experiment with devolution. (The other half, the establishment of a semi-independent ‘Dominion–style’ government in…
Reposted: The Re-Introduction of Direct Rule in Northern Ireland
Another reposting of material that first appeared elsewhere. This one will probably eventually find its way into Northern Irish History Compressed (planned for sometime next year). Read the article here: The Re-Introduction of Direct Rule in Northern Ireland
The Bombardment of the Four Courts: Addendum
A post on the New Island Books blog has drawn my attention to recent controversy over (alleged?) British collaboration with the Free State army in the attack on the Four Courts, which I wrote about here. It’s worth clicking through…
Craic: can someone please explain the origins of this word?
Answer by Bruce Gaston: First of all, the pseudo-Gaelic spelling "craic" is misleading. The word is actually of English origin, and the usual spelling is therefore "crack". The spelling "craic" is certainly spreading, probably because people think that the word…
WANTED: Police writer with excellent descriptive skills
While researching pictures for the ebook Irish History Compressed I was very happy to find on Wikimedia Commons this “WANTED” poster printed by the British authorities during the Irish War of Independence. Dan Breen was one member of the group…
Pictures from the Irish History Compressed ebook
I’ve just uploaded all the illustrations and pictures used in the short history of Ireland ebook to Pinterest. Between that, the free Kindle sample available on Amazon and the various extracts published here, I reckon a good third of the…
Reposted: Patrick Pearse: A Short Biography
The intellectual leader behind the Easter Rising of 1916, Pearse, born 10 November 1879, had qualified as a lawyer but his interests ranged widely beyond that. He was a proponent of both the revived Irish language and educational reform; combining…
The Loyal Dublin Volunteers: a forgotten organisation
History always brings up surprises. I’d never heard of this before. At its peak the LDV boasted a membership of some 2000 men. Many were of Ulster birth, some 768 men and women signed the Ulster Covenant and Declaration within…