Here is a list of the best Irish History books, some I have read myself, some that I did research on, and all have great reviews!
- 1. The Course of Irish History (2012)
- 2. How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe (The Hinges of History) (1996)
- 3. The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Ancestors in Ireland (2017)
- 4. In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English (2003)
- 5. White Cargo: The Forgotten History of Britain’s White Slaves in America (2008)
- 6. Malachy McCourt’s History of Ireland (paperback) (2008)
- 7. Irish Songster of the American Civil War-Irish Songs, Ballads, Musical History & Lyrical & Poetic Legacy of the American Civil War ()
- 8. Irish History: A Concise Overview of the History of Ireland From Start to End (2019)
- 9. The Great Book of Ireland: Interesting Stories, Irish History & Random Facts About Ireland (History & Fun Facts) (2019)
- 10. A Brief History of Ireland (Brief History (Running Press)) (2012)
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1. The Course of Irish History (2012)
First published over forty years ago and now updated to cover the “Celtic Tiger” economic boom of the 2000s and subsequent worldwide recession, this new edition of a perennial bestseller interprets Irish history as a whole. Designed and written to be popular and authoritative, critical and balanced, it has been a core text in both Irish and American universities for decades. It has also proven to be an extremely popular book for casual readers with an interest in history and Irish affairs. Considered the definitive history among the Irish themselves, it is an essential text for anyone interested in the…
2. How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe (The Hinges of History) (1996)
The perfect St. Patrick’s Day gift, and a book in the best tradition of popular history — the untold story of Ireland’s role in maintaining Western culture while the Dark Ages settled on Europe.Every year millions of Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but they may not be aware of how great an influence St. Patrick was on the subsequent history of civilization. Not only did he bring Christianity to Ireland, he instilled a sense of literacy and learning that would create the conditions that allowed Ireland to become "the isle of saints and scholars" — and thus preserve Western culture while…
3. The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Ancestors in Ireland (2017)
Discover your Irish roots! Trace your Irish ancestors from American shores back to the Emerald Isle. This in-depth guide from Irish genealogy expert Claire Santry will take you step-by-step through the exciting–and challenging–journey of discovering your Irish roots. You'll learn how to identify immigrant ancestor, find your family's county and townland of origin, and locate key genealogical resources that will breathe life into your family tree. With historical timelines, sample records, resource lists, and detailed information about where and how to find your ancestors online, this guide has everything you need to…
4. In Search of Ancient Ireland: The Origins of the Irish from Neolithic Times to the Coming of the English (2003)
This engaging book traces the history, archaeology, and legends of ancient Ireland from 9000 B.C., when nomadic hunter-gatherers appeared in Ireland at the end of the last Ice Age to 1167 A.D., when a Norman invasion brought the country under control of the English crown for the first time. So much of what people today accept as ancient Irish history—Celtic invaders from Europe turning Ireland into a Celtic nation; St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland and converting its people to Christianity—is myth and legend with little basis in…
5. White Cargo: The Forgotten History of Britain’s White Slaves in America (2008)
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, more than 300,000 white people were shipped to America as slaves. Urchins were swept up from London’s streets to labor in the tobacco fields, where life expectancy was no more than two years. Brothels were raided to provide “breeders” for Virginia. Hopeful migrants were duped into signing as indentured servants, unaware they would become personal property who could be bought, sold, and even gambled away. Transported convicts were paraded for sale like livestock.Drawing on letters crying for help, diaries, and court and government archives, Don Jordan and Michael Walsh demonstrate…
6. Malachy McCourt’s History of Ireland (paperback) (2008)
The pages are populated with figures from myth, history, and the present-from Saint Patrick to Oliver Cromwell, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, and Charles Parnell to Sinead O’Connor and Bono. Some beloved, some controversial-each influenced the course of Irish and world history. While McCourt vividly describes Ireland’s turbulent history, he also offers a cultural survey with fresh insights to the folklore, literature, art, music, and cuisine of Ireland, producing an irresistible tour through the Emerald Isle….
7. Irish Songster of the American Civil War-Irish Songs, Ballads, Musical History & Lyrical & Poetic Legacy of the American Civil War ()
cream softcover…
8. Irish History: A Concise Overview of the History of Ireland From Start to End (2019)
Explore the History of Ireland From Start to End… Ireland, more than any other country, seems to hold people from other parts of the world in awe. Its people, landscape, culture and misfortunes have provided writers and poets with endless inspiration and its history is no less colorful and exciting.In this book, , you can find out much more about what has happened to Ireland through the ages, with chapters on: The Ireland of today has been shaped by the past and its history has provided some of the major flashpoints in the wider scope of the British Isles and Europe…And with…
9. The Great Book of Ireland: Interesting Stories, Irish History & Random Facts About Ireland (History & Fun Facts) (2019)
How much do you know about Ireland? There’s so much to learn about the Emerald Isle that even its residents don’t know. In this trivia book, you’ll learn more about Ireland’s history, pop culture, folklore, and so much more! And so much more! This book is packed with trivia facts about Ireland. Some of the facts you’ll learn in this book are shocking, some are tragic, and others will leave you with goosebumps. But they’re all interesting! Whether you’re just learning about Ireland or you already think you’re an expert on the state, you’ll learn something you didn’t know in…
10. A Brief History of Ireland (Brief History (Running Press)) (2012)
Since its very origins, Ireland has become the home for a successive series of invaders-the Celts, Christians, Vikings, and Normans. And despite deprivation, desperation, and suppression, Ireland has developed an unwavering sense of purpose and place.In this lucid and fascinating introduction to the island’s story, Richard Killeen separates the history from the myths. Ranging from Ireland’s pre-Gaelic origins to the present day, it emphasizes the island’s uniqueness as well as it close ties to English and European culture. The tangled and often violent relationship between Ireland and the…
Best Irish History Books: The Ultimate List
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Genesis and download some irish history books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
Mission to Ireland: WWI True Story of Smuggling Guns to the Irish Coast
Author(s): War History Journals
ID: 2710896, Publisher: Storyteller Books, LLC, Year: 2020, Size: 269 Kb, Format: epub
Labour in Irish History
Author(s): James Connolly
ID: 2810322, Publisher: Foreign Languages Press, Year: 2020, Size: 1 Mb, Format: pdf
A Dictionary of British and Irish History
Author(s): Robert Peberdy, Philip Waller
ID: 2823402, Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, Year: 2020, Size: 26 Mb, Format: pdf
Please note that this booklist is not absolute. Some books are truly best-sellers according to The New York Times, others are composed by unknown authors. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant resources you could recommend? Leave a comment if you have any feedback on the list.