The Shortest History of Ireland

The Shortest History of Ireland by James Hawes offers a compact, accessible history of Ireland from the Ice Age to the present day. Rather than framing Irish history solely through the lens of colonial oppression, Hawes highlights the resilience of Irish culture and its remarkable ability to absorb wave after wave of outside influence and invasion over the centuries, while also tracing the outsized impact of Irish scholars, saints, and emigrants on Europe and America.

Illustrated with maps and images throughout, the book covers freedom and persecution, riot and revolution, empire and independence, and closes by considering Ireland's prospects as it moves further beyond the legacy of British rule.