Ireland and the Irish: Portrait of a Changing Society (Penguin Non Fiction) [Paperback]

As a reader from the United States, his use of pounds and constant camparisons to the British political system weren't very helpful, and his use of the term "wetback" was disconcerting. I'm not sure he meant it to be a colorful word or an offensive word. However, Ardagh clearly loves Ireland and has spent plenty of time there. He shows political trends and the changing role of the church unflinchingly -- complete with all the scandals. I remember reading about Miss X, a 14-yr old rape victim who was stopped from going to England for an abortion, when it happened. What you get from this book that wasn't in the U.S. Newspapers was this mixed reactions of the Irish people. Ardagh makes it very clear that although there are generalizations that can be made about the Irish, they are certianly not "One Voice."

I also appreciated the 100 pg chapter on Northern Ireland. He managed to write about "the troubles" without taking sides other than that of anyone who wanted a lasting peace. He did defend the British role in a way that reflected his native heritage, but at the same time he openly admitted that some of the actions of the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary have fanned the fires. I understood and respected the more recent British approach in a way I hadn't before. I had not been aware that the IRA and UDN were both involved in vigilante activities in their own communities, and that extorting collection money was common practice. I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. For some reason, I thought the paramilitary groups spent their time and energy on each other and didn't have time for these sideline, ganglike activities.

It was also interesting to read the postscript that was written during the ceasefire and peace attempt during John Major's premiership. Ardagh had spent many, many pages talking about different Irish-led ventures that brought Protestants and Catholics together to foster peace. I found myself asking, with so many people working towards peace, how come it isn't happening? And the description of the Mid-90s peace attempt sounded so similar to the more recent attempt under Tony Blair & Bertie Ahern's premierships, that it was both interesting and frustrating. I followed the last round very closely, as an Irish American yes, but more because "the troubles" is my first memory of war. I remember my father answering questions like "what is a hunger strike." I remember watching buildings in London coming down on the nightly news. But I wasn't old enough to connect the two. I was eager to see a war that had been in the background all my life, wrapped up and ended. Alas. When I was reading Ardagh's hopeful postscript, I wanted to throw the book against the wall because I knew the violence still continues.

In summary, worthwhile read, but there are probably more current books available. And I still hope for peace in Northern Ireland.

John Ardagh has written a number of highly praised books on modern European societies, and this book is as good as the others. Once you read an Ardagh book, you will walk away with a good understanding of what really makes a country tick. Please realize that this is not a history book (although it does provide the necessary historical background). If you need to know ANYTHING about modern Irish society, look no further. "Ireland and the Irish" is a complete and unbiased profile of a rapidly changing nation.