A Pocket History of the Ira

A Pocket History of the Ira

by Brendan O ' Brien (Author)

Synopsis

An accessible, clearly-written account of the IRA from its beginnings to today. It covers the origins and history of the organisation, its aims, the political and military thinking which has driven its activities, and the major personalities who have shaped the direction of the movement down through the years.

The relationship with the Irish and British governments is examined, as well as the effects of the major bombing campaigns and the 1981 hunger strikes. It also explains the radical shift in thinking which led to the IRA seeking a political way towards the goal of Irish unity rather than pursuing the entrenched 'Brits Out' policy at the point of a gun.

The background to the IRA ceasefire, and the many factors which contributed to its ending are looked at, as well as the prospects for a lasting peace in one of the world's most troubled arenas.

This is intended as an easy-to-read overview of the IRA and the Northern situation, accessible to both the tourist and the interested general reader.

$11.37

Quantity

1 in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 151
Edition: Pocket
Publisher: O'Brien
Published: 1997

ISBN 10: 0862785111
ISBN 13: 9780862785116

Author Bio
In 1973 Brendan O'Brien began as presenter/reporter with the prestigious Seven Days current/political affairs programme which aired four times a week on RTE (Ireland's national television station). In Autumn 1975 he moved to the RTE Newsroom and spent three years as a journalist with the Sunday programme Newsround. This was followed by 18 months as Editor/presenter of the nightly Countrywide news programme. Then, he spent two years as a general news reporter, during which time he went to Buenos Aires in Argentina to cover the Falklands war. Subsequently he became senior presenter/reporter with the thrice-weekly Today Tonight TV programme, where he carried out investigations into crime, political and current affairs issues, including investigations into the Provisional IRA, drug abuse, and the kidnapping of businessman Don Tidey by the IRA. He made two major documentaries on the IRA for Today Tonight, in 1984 and 1988. Since September 1992 Brendan has been a senior presenter/reporter on the twice-weekly Prime Time, RTE's principal political/current affairs programme. Awards: He has won the Jacobs Award for investigative reporting; the A.T. Cross National Media Award for Outstanding Journalism, the Sunday Independent 'Arts Award'. In 2008 he received the Best Newcomer Award fom the Irish Book Awards for his first Children's book The Story of Ireland and the Dublin Airport Authority Irish Children's Book of the Year Award: Senior for the same book.