Coleman - The Irish revolution, 1916-1923

The Irish Revolution, 19161923

This Seminar Studies volume is a concise study of the Irish revolution of 1916 to 1923, during which Ireland changed from a unified island that was an integral part of the United Kingdom to an island divided into an effectively independent 26-county Free State and a devolved government in Northern Ireland which remained within the UK.

Marie Coleman covers the key events from the Easter Rising to the Irish Civil War and incorporates the most recent historiography on the subject. The book treats key themes such as labour, gender, sectarianism, the nature of revolutionary violence and the social background and motivation of revolutionaries.

Irish Revolution includes a document section that will introduce students to the principal primary sources relating to the events and themes covered in the text and further reading sections, all of which makes this the ideal introduction to the subject.

Marie Coleman is a Lecturer in the School of History and Anthropology at the Queen's University of Belfast. She teaches on aspects of Irish history and the Irish revolution at second- and third-year undergraduate level, and is the author of two books, The Irish Sweep: A History of the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake, 19301987 (2009) and County Longford and the Irish Revolution, 19101923 (2003).

Introduction to the series

History is narrative constructed by historians from traces left by the past. Historical enquiry is often driven by contemporary issues and, in consequence, historical narratives are constantly reconsidered, reconstructed and reshaped. The fact that different historians have different perspectives on issues means that there is also often controversy and no universally agreed version of past events. Seminar Studies was designed to bridge the gap between current research and debate, and the broad, popular general surveys that often date rapidly.

The volumes in the series are written by historians who are not only familiar with the latest research and current debates concerning their topic, but who have themselves contributed to our understanding of the subject. The books are intended to provide the reader with a clear introduction to a major topic in history. They provide both a narrative of events and a critical analysis of contemporary interpretations. They include the kinds of tools generally omitted from specialist monographs: a chronology of events, a glossary of terms and brief biographies of who's who'. They also include bibliographical essays in order to guide students to the literature on various aspects of the subject. Students and teachers alike will find that the selection of documents will stimulate discussion and offer insight into the raw materials used by historians in their attempt to understand the past.

Clive Emsley and Gordon Martel

Series Editors

The Irish Revolution, 19161923

Marie Coleman

For Aoife and Niamh Martin

First published 2014

by Routledge

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2014 Marie Coleman

The right of Marie Coleman to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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ISBN: 978-0-415-73687-9 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-408-27910-6 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-315-81341-7 (ebk)

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AARIR American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic

BMH Bureau of Military History

CBS Christian Brothers school

CID Criminal Investigation Department

DMP Dublin Metropolitan Police

FOIF Friends of Irish Freedom

GHQ General Headquarters

GPO General Post Office

ICA Irish Citizen Army

IPP Irish Parliamentary Party

IRA Irish Republican Army

IRB Irish Republican Brotherhood

ITGWU Irish Transport and General Workers Union

IVF Irish Volunteer Force

LGB Local Government Board

MP Member of Parliament

PRSTV Proportional representation (by single transferable vote)

RIC Royal Irish Constabulary

RUC Royal Ulster Constabulary

ROIA Restoration of Order in Ireland Act

SF Sinn Fin

TD Teachta Dla

USC Ulster Special Constabulary

UVF Ulster Volunteer Force