These pioneering essays provide a unique study of the development of political ideas in Ireland from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. The book breaks away from the traditional emphasis in Irish historiography on the nationalism/unionism debate to focus instead on previously neglected areas such as the role of the Scottish Enlightenment and early Irish socialism and conservatism. A wide range of original primary sources are used from pamphlets to journalism, devotional tracts to poetry.

Boyce, D. George; Eccleshall, Dr Robert; Eccleshall, Robert; Geoghegan, Vincent

D. George Boyce, University College, Swansea; Robert Eccleshall, Queen's Univeristy of Belfast; Richard English, Queen's University of Belfast; Vincent Geoghegan, Queen's University of Belfast; Ian McBride, Institute of Historical Research, University of London; Breandan O Buachalla, University College, Dublin; Margaret O'Callaghan, Queen's University of Belfast; Jennifer Todd, University College, Dublin