Providing a broad narrative and relating the central events that have shaped the country, A Brief History of Ireland touches on all aspects of Ireland's history, including political, economic, cultural, social, and foreign affairs. Recounting this country's long history, from the arrival of the Celts to recent economic developments that have brought booming prosperity and social change.

Table of Contents

• List of Illustrations
• List of Maps
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Beginnings to the End of Pagan Ireland (Prehistory-431)
• Christianity Arrives and Thrives (431-795)
• From Viking Invasions to Royal Confrontations (795-1169)
• From the Norman Invasion to the Anglo-Irish Administration (1169-1534)
• The Planting of Protestant Power (1534-1691)
• Ascendancy Ireland (1691-1800)
• From the Act of Union to the Great Famine (1800-1849)
• The Drive for Independence (1849-1922)
• Making Modern Ireland (1922-1969)
• Two Irish Visions in Collision (1969-2000)
• Ireland in the Twenty-first Century: The Pain-Filled Past Recedes at Last?
• Appendixes
• Basic Facts about the Republic of Ireland
• Basic Facts about Northern Ireland
• Chronology of Ireland
• Irish Leaders from 1922 to 2008
• Bibliography
• Suggested Reading