The Shortest History of Ireland

‘After his masterpieces on Germany and England, James Hawes has done it again. His account of Ireland from pre-history, to Christianised Brehonism, to colonialism, plantation, and contested independence, is a wonder to behold’ PROFESSOR CIARAN MARTIN
In The Shortest History of Ireland, bestselling historian James Hawes brings together the very latest scholarship to tell a story as gripping as a novel. As he gallops from the Ice Age to the present, he flips usual practice on its head, placing Ireland at the centre not just of Irish but British and at times even European history. Written in language accessible to all and boasting a wealth of visual material, this book will radically change how people see the Irish past.
Hawes concludes by arguing that if Ireland can now sidestep the last, toxic wreckage of the British Empire, its eventful past will flow into a bright future. This is popular history at its thrilling, paradigm-shifting best.