Irish history

The history of Ireland has often been overshadowed by war and conflict – from the inter-clan rivalries of the early Celtic kingdoms to the long struggle for independence from Britain and the subsequent Troubles in Northern Ireland. However, Ireland’s history encompasses so much more. Its druidic oral tradition has meant that Ireland has an unrivalled collection of folklore that is the envy of the world – recalling legendary heroes such as Cúchulainn and the Fionn mac Cumhaill.

For much of its history Ireland was also considered to be a key centre of learning with its monastic institutions producing such masterpieces as the Book of Kells while in later years the work of its literary figures – among them Jonathan Swift, James Joyce and Seamus Heaney – and its great orators such as Robert Emmet, Daniel O’Connell and the ‘Uncrowned King of Ireland’ James Stewart Parnell continue to influence the world. For many years the ports of Belfast and Cobh were the gateways to the New World and emigration, another key feature of Ireland’s history particularly in the years following the devastating Great Potato Famine, has meant a diaspora that has spread Irish culture, its music and sport across the world.

Our Irish titles reflect the diversity and complexity of Ireland’s history. Our list encompasses an enormous variety of topics including history, current affairs, biography, photography and historical fiction and offers a great breadth of formats from pocket gift books to comprehensive histories. Whether your interest is in Irish folklore, art, genealogy, local or political history there is something here for you.

Discover more about Irish history

Ask the author: Mark B Roe discusses the Dublin Foundling Hospital
The Dublin Foundling Hospital is the subject of his fascinating new book The Least of These
The Battle of Clonmult: The IRA’s worst defeat
Tom O’Neill tells the story of the IRA’s greatest loss of volunteers in a single engagement against the Crown Forces
History matters in Ireland
How should Ireland remember and celebrate its past?
Bloody Easter 1916: The Liverpool Irish in Dublin and France
Colin Cousins reveals another aspect of Easter 1916
Lieutenant-General John Nicholson: Hero or villain?
John Nicholson’s name evokes both awe and anger – but who was he really?
An introduction to Brehon law
Novelist Cora Harrison discusses Brehon law and the ways in which it inspires her fiction
The solution to the ‘Two St Patricks’ theory
St Patrick as we know him went by many names - but who was he really?
The 1916 Easter Rising
Irish nationalists and ‘England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity’
Harry Clarke: Modernising a medieval art
Ireland’s greatest artist and craftsman
The Orange walks of Northern Ireland
The annual Protestant commemoration of the defeat of King James by William of Orange
Anne Boleyn and the Irish connection
What if Anne Boleyn had married Irishman James Butler?
The Falls Curfew: Reassessing the past
The historic weekend of 3–5 July 1970
Camp debate: Bloody Sunday 1972
The perspective of a young British soldier watching the violence in Londonderry unfold
Five daring women from Irish history
From a pioneering pilot to a mining expert, author Debbie Blake takes a look at Ireland’s fearless women
The Irish Diaspora and St. Patrick’s Day
Who was Ireland’s patron saint and what is the significance of the Irish diaspora?
The secret court martial records of the Easter Rising
British records of the trials were kept a close secret until 1999