The Partition: Ireland Divided, 1885-1925

(Paperback)

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A compelling history of the turbulent journey to Irish independence brings Townshend's acclaimed Irish trilogy to a close In the aftermath of the horrors of the Irish Famine, the grim, distrustful relationship between Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom deteriorated into a generations-long argument about 'Home Rule'. The unprecedented nature of the Irish problem made it extraordinarily difficult for either side to reach a compromise. For many years actual independence seemed inconceivable. And then, as these bitter disputes continued, it became clear that under no circumstances would the Protestants be party to any of it. The Partition is a remarkable, clear-sighted and thoughtful account of how two unthinkable events - full Irish independence and the creation of the state of Northern Ireland - came to pass. The Irish nationalist claim to leave ran into a loyalist demand to remain, threatening large-scale violent resistance. Here Charles Townshend lays out what is ultimately a tragic story, as partition became the only answer to an otherwise insoluble problem. The settlement of the Irish question conjured up heroes and villains, led to civil war and finally to Ulster's catastrophic Troubles. The hard border has always been seen as a failure of both British and Irish statecraft, but has endured now for a century. The Partition brilliantly brings to life the contingency and uncertainty that created it.

Reviews

A model of research and analysis ... Townshend's concise and intelligent book ... tells a painful story that is probably not yet over. -- Simon Heffer * Daily Telegraph *
A layered and mostly fair assessment of the dynamics, deal, prejudices and delusions that created the Border in Ireland ... This is a timely and important book, not just because of the centenary of the creation of Northern Ireland but because so much of its content remains relevant to understanding contemporary preoccupations and controversies. -- Diarmaid Ferriter * Irish Times *
The completion of the trilogy is delivered with Townshend's characteristic scholarly panache ... he brings into unforgiving focus the carelessness, double-dealing and myopia which has bedevilled Britain's government of Ireland ... laconic but conclusive. -- Roy Foster * The Spectator *
Townshend, a leading scholar of modern Irish history, has written an authoritative study of the origins of Ireland's partition. -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *
An important book that provides not only a background to events one hundred years ago but is highly relevant to events that are still unfolding today ... Well written, full of insights and impressively topical. -- Taylor Downing * Aspects of History *

Author Bio

Charles Townshend is the author of the highly praised Easter 1916- The Irish Rebellion and The Republic- The Fight for Irish Independence, 1918-1923. The Partition forms the third part of his trilogy on how Ireland became independent. His other books include When God Made Hell- The British Invasion of Mesopotamia and the Making of Iraq, 1914-21.