Scarecrow Press Historical Dictionary of Ireland (Historical Dictionaries of Europe)

All places undergo change, but in few has this change been quite as sweeping as Ireland - both the independent Republic of Ireland and dependent Northern Ireland - so it is good to see where it is heading at present. Obviously, that has to be judged on the background of where it is coming from, not only over the past decade or so but over centuries and, indeed, millennia. This new edition of Historical Dictionary of Ireland is an excellent resource for discovering the history of Ireland. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, and an extensive bibliography. The cross-referenced dictionary section has over 600 entries on significant persons, places and events, political parties and institutions (including the Catholic church) with period forays into literature, music and the arts. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Ireland. Review This new edition by Biletz replaces a 1997 one by C. Thomas and A. Thomas (CH, Mar'98, 35-3673). Significant changes in Northern Ireland have occurred since the last edition was published; the peace process that ended 'The Troubles' was still in progress in 1997. Thus, this new edition is able to cover, with some historical perspective, the landmark Good Friday Agreement of 1998 and the subsequent amendment of the Constitution of Ireland a year later. Like all of the volumes in Scarecrow's 'Historical Dictionary' series, this one features a chronology, prefatory essay, and detailed bibliography. Also included are a political map and a handy key to acronyms and abbreviations. The 20-page introduction is an excellent summary of Irish history. The detailed chronology that follows is nearly 50 pages. Over 600 alphabetically arranged, cross-referenced entries, including biographical profiles, place descriptions, and historical event summaries, make up the body. Most topics merit a brief paragraph, but other particularly significant ones, e.g., 'Catholicism, ' 'Bloody Sunday, ' 'Emigration, ' and 'Unionism, ' are longer. Overall, this is an excellent, handy reference resource for information on both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.--CHOICE This volume in the European Historical Dictionaries series continues this series' tradition of excellence. The dictionary is a scholarly, clearly written work, packed full of useful information. The main section consists of an A to Z annotated dictionary with entries covering the main events, people, and places in Irish history. The 20-page introduction provides a concise overview of Irish history from the Neolithic period until 1922. Four appendixes list the presidents of Ireland; the prime ministers of the Irish Free State and Irish Republic; the prime ministers of Northern Ireland; and the first ministers and deputy first ministers of Northern Ireland. The work concludes with an extensive bibliography. This dictionary is a useful book that any institution or individual with an interest in Irish studies should acquire.--American Reference Books Annual About the Author Frank A. Biletz has been teaching Irish history since 1994, and since 1997, he has been Lecturer in History at Loyal University Chicago. Over the years he has published articles and reviews on Irish studies for various journals and books.