Discover the truth behind the myths of the Emerald Isle Forget about shamrocks, leprechans, and all that blarney; 101 Things You Didn't Know about Irish History dispels the myths and tells the true story of the Irish. Inside, you'll learn about: Lives of the ancient Celts before the British invasions Famous Irish including Michael Collins, Charles Parnell—and Bono! The potato famine and emigration (were there really gangs of New York?) Irish music and dance Complete with an Irish language primer and pronunciation guide, 101 Things You Didn't Know about Irish History is an informative reference for anyone who loves the Irish.
How much do you know about Ireland? There's so much to learn about the Emerald Isle that even its residents don't know. In this trivia book, you'll learn more about Ireland's history, pop culture, folklore, and so much more! In The Great Book of Ireland, you'll learn: How did Ireland get its name? Why is it known as the Emerald Isle? Who was St. Patrick really? What do leprechauns and shamrocks have to do with St. Patrick's Day? Which Irish company had a 9,000-year lease? What is Ireland's top attraction? Which movies have been filmed in Ireland? Which famous novel may have been based on an Irish myth? Which legends did the Irish believe in? And so much more! This book is packed with trivia facts about Ireland. Some of the facts you'll learn in this book are shocking, some are tragic, and others will leave you with goosebumps. But they're all interesting! Whether you're just learning about Ireland or you already think you're an expert on the state, you'll learn something you didn't know in every chapter. Your history teacher will be interesting at all of your newfound knowledge. So what are you waiting for? Get started to learn more about Ireland!
Get the lowdown on America’s Bloodiest War—the Civil War—with this essential guide to 101 interesting and unexpected facts about this defining event in US history. Do you know which state first seceded from the Union? What about the individual who could be considered the Mata Hari of the Civil War? Or how about which Bible passage Southerners used to justify slavery? You’ll find answers to these questions and many, many more in 101 Things You Didn’t Know about the Civil War. Packed with fascinating details about the people, places, and events that defined our nation’s most contentious conflict, this tell-all guide reveals the inside scoop on slavery and its impact on the war; great—and not-so-great—leaders and generals; battles fought and lost—and fought again; some of the most shocking horrors of the war; women, children, and African Americans in the war. Complete with a helpful timeline, 101 Things You Didn’t Know about the Civil War is your go-to guide for little-known facts about the war that dramatically altered the course of American history forever.
From patriots to pirates, warriors to writers, and mistresses to male impersonators, this book looks at the unorthodox lives of inspiring Irish women. In times when women were expected to marry and have children, they travelled the world and sought out adventures; in times when women were expected to be seen and not heard, they spoke out in loud voices against oppression; in times when women were expected to have no interest in politics, literature, art, or the world outside the home, they used every creative means available to give expression to their thoughts, ideas and beliefs. In a series of succinct and often amusing biographies, Marian Broderick tells the life stories of these exceptional Irish women.
"More than forty million Americans claim Irish ancestry. This lively book explains how and why they got to the U.S. and shows how their history made them who they are. From prehistoric Ireland to Irish schools in America, this well-illustrated book provides an essential overview of the ties between the Emerald Isle and the New World."--
Learn everything you need to know about Albert Einstein, the genius who created the Theory of Relativity and calculated mass-energy equivalence. 101 Things You Didn’t Know About Einstein provides in-depth, fascinating facts about the famous scientist and mathematician—including details about his personal life, scientific discoveries, interactions with his contemporaries, thoughts on war, religion, and politics, and his impact on the world since his death. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, information, or interesting and entertaining trivia, this book contains everything you need to know about Albert Einstein!
From the dawn of history to the decline of the Celtic Tiger - how Ireland has been shaped over the centuries. Ireland has been shaped by many things over the centuries: geography, war, the fight for liberty. A Brief History of Ireland is the perfect introduction to this exceptional place, its people and its culture. Ireland has been home to successive groups of settlers - Celts, Vikings, Normans, Anglo-Scots, Huguenots. It has imported huge ideas, none bigger than Christianity which it then re-exported to Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. In the Tudor era it became the first colony of the developing English Empire. Its fraught and sometimes brutal relationship with England has dominated its modern history. Killeen argues that religion was decisive in all this: Ireland remained substantially Catholic, setting it at odds with the larger island culturally, religiously and politically. But its own culture and identity have stayed strong, most obviously in literature with a magnificent tradition of writing from the Book of Kells to the modern masters: Joyce, Yeats, Beckett and Heaney.
"Jonathan Bardon covers all the obvious things: the invasions, battles, development of towns and cities, the Reformation, the Georgian era, the Famine, rebellions and resistance, the difference of Ulster, partition, the twentieth century. What makes his book so valuable, however, are the quirky subjects he chooses to illustrate how history really works: the great winter freeze of 1740 and the famine that followed; crime and duelling; an emigrant voyage; evictions. These episodes get behind the historical headlines to give a glimpse of past realities that might otherwise be lost to view." "The author has retained the original episodic structure of the radio programmes. The result is a marvellous mosaic of the Irish past, delivered with clarity and narrative skill." --Book Jacket.
What makes the Irish unique? Why do over 70 million people worldwide embrace their Irish heritage? What does it mean to be Irish today? These and other questions are addressed in this fascinating new book.Being Irish gathers a diverse group of 100 people - including well-known actors, musicians, novelists, sportspeople, journalists, political and religious leaders, community activists, asylum seekers, students and others - each trying to give expression to that special something that is more or less recognizable as Irish. This is not a sociological study; it consists of highly personal responses to a question of identity.Twenty-one years ago, Paddy Logue compiled the original edition of Being Irish to better understand the recent changes Ireland had undergone. Now his daughter, Derry-based solicitor Marie-Claire Logue, takes up the challenge to take a fresh look at Irishness, this time against a backdrop of Covid-19, Brexit, economic insecurity, weakening influence of the Catholic Church and a rapidly changing Northern Ireland.The contributions come from the ranks of the famous and not so famous, people at the center of things and people at the margins, people who live in Ireland and those who live abroad, the Irish and not-Irish-but-interested. Some delve into their personal histories to give meaning to their identities; while others rely on storytelling, humour and lyricism to approach a tentative sense of self.Above all, the reflections in this volume show that we can be Irish by birth, Irish by ancestry, Irish by geography, Irish and British, Northern Irish, Irish by accident, Irish by necessity, Irish and European, Irish by association, Irish by culture, Irish by history, Irish and American and Irish by choice. The life stories contained herein are sure to illuminate and entertain.
It's time for a new take on the Cork vs Dublin rivalry. Cork is more kefir cocktails than Tanora these days; Dublin reckons it's like Berlin because it has two intersecting tram lines. This book takes a 21st century look at the two places, asking who's got the better statues, food, airport, characters, pubs, views and more, answering Cork every time. The second city gets a bit of a roasting too though. Because if there's one thing worse than a Dub, it's a Cork person who reckons he lives in paradise, boy.
