Book recommendation something about the history of Irish people/Eire

Here to plumb the depths of STW’s reader’s knowledge. I’m off to South west Ireland tomorrow and would like to read about the history of the country and people.

Anyone have any suggestions for books, preferably at the readable end of the spectrum rather than too academic.

Thanks muchly in advance!

How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe.

Guerilla Days in Ireland by Tom Barry

Quite often local bookshops will have anthologies of local people’s stories and these give quite a good insight,  we have a few; Glencar, my own place and The Cummeragh Side, Glean an Chueraigh and they are well worth grabbing for how people lived until fairly recently.

Where are you heading?

the recent books by Manchán Magan are good, on Ireland, its people and places, ‘Thirty-Two Words for Field’ and ‘Listen to the Land Speak’, readable and insightful.

Two I have read of recent times are:

Emigrants and Exiles by Kerby A. Miller
King Dan and Liberator by Patrick M. McGeoghegan

Considering the time frame I would consider:

Short history of Ireland although is on the drier end of the scale and only middle ages onwards.

History of Ireland in 250 episodes is taken from a radio series and covers from prehistory but a lot more bite sized.

Will check some of these out – when you move here you realise Irish history is nothing like as coherent as English history – there’s the Celts, the numerous kingdoms, the vikings, then someone invited the English over and it all went to pot

This place is incredible!

Thanks so much for all the suggestions, I’m off to check them out.

I’m interested in geology and prehistory onwards, so pretty much all of it really.

I’d like something that tells the story of the people and explains how the country got to where it is today. Maybe a big ask…..

Kilo, we’re off to somewhere like Clonakilty by Railsail and bus (if they’ll take the bikes),then very slowly west round the coast, see how far we get.

If they won’t take the bikes on the bus then probably ride to Waterford then train to Killarney.

If you want a listen while travelling, then a Blindboy podcast or two, with the aforementioned Manchan Magan may be a good addition.

I’ll have a look @bedmaker, thanks

You might be interested in the exhibition on The Troubles at IWM North.

the intro video to that has a very brief history of Eire.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/northern-ireland-living-with-the-troubles-iwm-north

Early medieval legal texts provide a wealth of knowledge on the practice of slavery. Gaelic raiders kidnapped and enslaved people from across the Irish Sea for two centuries after the Fall of the Western Roman Empire destabilizing Roman Britain; Saint Patrick was kidnapped by Gaelic raiders.

I believe Dublin was one if not the major slave markets in 11th century Britain.

Slaine is pretty good. 😊

Round Ireland with a Fridge. Tony Hawks.

(Not history, but trust me on a good book)

Came here to recommend the Blindboy podcast. Lots of history, mythology and humour.

Round Ireland with a Fridge. Tony Hawks.

(Not history, but trust me on a good book)

+1. If you need some further light reading in the same vein, McCarthys Bar.

RM.

Some good recommendations,I can vouch for Tom Barry’s guerrilla days and round Ireland with a fridge. Ernie O’Malley series of books are good too, or knocknagow by Charles kickham if you want an older classic.
I hope the bus takes your bikes (they usually do unless the bus is busy or the drivers off form) as the train from Waterford to Killarney goes a bit round the houses (goes to Limerick junction then change to mallow then change to Killarney and takes hours).

With mention of Sláine, Pat Mills describes numerous resources he used in its writing in ‘Kiss my axe!’

many references to books on Irish history, legend, and myth in there if I remember correctly.

his blog on the writing of Charley’s War has  references to Irish activity in WWI and WWII. Many underplayed in British historical accounts if I remember correctly.

https://amzn.eu/d/dNu0AWD