Series in Ireland
Books in Ireland
A Forlorn Hope
Can Will and Isobel bury their differences with those estranged from them and unite in a time of crisis or are some rifts too deep to heal? Dublin, Ireland, September 1883. The rift between the Fitzgeralds deepens when Will’s father threatens legal action to gain visiting rights to his three grandchildren. But Will, Isobel and John are brought unexpectedly together by Will’s mother when Sarah’s increasingly erratic behaviour spirals beyond their control. Isobel is reunited with a ghost from her past unearthing memories she would rather have kept buried while the fragile marriage of convenience orchestrated by John becomes more and more brittle before it snaps with horrifying consequences. Please note that this novel contains sensitive content and is intended for readers aged eighteen and over.
A Hidden Motive
Can Will and Isobel help two old friends to overcome their fear and start afresh? Dublin, Ireland, September 1886. Will is reacquainted with his former fiancée when his father’s close friend Dr Ken Wilson dies suddenly. On finding they have received the only invitation to the Wilson residence after the funeral, the Fitzgeralds witness the tensions between Cecilia, her mother and her in-laws and discover her hidden motive for wanting them present. When Isobel is reunited with an old friend from Ballybeg, his shame at what he has done to survive hampers her attempts to bring him and Alfie together again. With an empty life and low expectations, can Peter regain his self-respect or are he and Alfie destined to be alone? Please note that this novel contains medical terminology of the time.
A Minor Detail
Can Will and Isobel honour John’s dying wishes? Dublin, Ireland, July 1887. The city is struggling in a seemingly never-ending heatwave and Will receives devastating news from his father. John has only months to live but his dying wishes leave Will reeling. With the Fitzgeralds suddenly facing money worries, some difficult decisions must be made. Can Will and John repair their complicated relationship before it’s too late? When a tragic accident brings unexpected truths to light, Isobel discovers a forgotten life intertwined with her grandmother’s. Nothing can prepare her for Lily’s story but will learning of their families’ pasts bring Isobel peace or further heartbreak?
A Pleasant Distraction
Can Will and Isobel rally everyone around and confront an epidemic? Dublin, Ireland, December 1889. Will celebrates his fortieth birthday as reports reach Dublin of a mysterious illness in faraway St Petersburg. As Russian influenza sweeps through Europe and reaches Dublin, Will and Isobel must put their lives on hold and confront the epidemic. When Bob declared his love for Sarah, it couldn’t have come at a worse time, but he kept his word and stayed away from her. Two years have passed since John’s death, and Sarah has adapted well to widowhood, but she never mentions Bob. With Sarah’s life on Merrion Square, and Bob’s life in the Liberties, can they have a future together, or did Sarah simply view Bob as a pleasant distraction?
A Stark Prediction
Can Will and Isobel find hope in the face of tragedy and uncertainty? Dublin, Ireland, June 1891. The Fitzgeralds are eagerly anticipating their summer holiday when Jerry Hawley’s mother dies unexpectedly. While Will travels to London to break the news to his friend, Isobel grapples with shocking incidents at Marianne Pearson’s school, setting off a chain of events that has tragic consequences. When Margaret Simpson’s illness emerges, it serves as a stark prediction of what lies ahead. Caring for Margaret, both now and in the future, will exact a heavy toll, emotionally and financially. Heartrending decisions loom as Mrs Dawson confronts the possibility of living where she and her ailing daughter are not welcome. Will circumstances force them to take up residence where their presence is met with hostility?
Isle of Mist: A Tale of Ireland and Rome
On the mist shrouded Isle of Hibernia, now known as Ireland, twenty-six years have passed since the murder of the high king, Fiacha Finnolach. The usurper Elim of Ulster’s promises of peace and prosperity have come to naught, as drought and famine afflict the land. There are mutterings that Morrigan, Goddess of Fate, has punished the four Kingdoms of Hibernia for betraying their rightful sovereign. Across the Irish Sea, the Roman Governor of Britannia, Julius Agricola, is met with an intriguing proposition. Fiacha’s son, Tuathal Techtmar, born when his pregnant mother fled into exile, has grown to manhood. He seeks the aid of Rome in avenging his father and becoming High King of Hibernia. Agricola sees the potential for trade across the sea, as well as securing an ally for Rome. With Emperor Titus prohibiting the use of imperial legionaries for this venture, Agricola selects an auxilia regiment, the Second Gallorum, to lead the expedition. Tuathal’s uncle, Lord Conn of the Novantae, in the western Britannia midlands, pledges to aid him in his cause. The journey across the Irish Sea takes them into the unknown, as none within Agricola’s force has ever set foot in Hibernia, not even Tuathal Techtmar, the high king in waiting.
Nineteenth-Century Britain
First published as part of the best-selling The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, Christopher Harvie and Colin Matthew's Very Short Introduction to Nineteenth-Century Britain is a sharp but subtle account of remarkable economic and social change and an even more remarkable political stability. Britain in 1789 was overwhelmingly rural, agrarian, multilingual, and almost half Celtic. By 1914, when it faced its greatest test since the defeat of Napoleon, it was largely urban and English. Christopher Harvie and Colin Matthew show the forces behind Britain's rise to its imperial zenith, and the continuing tensions within the nations and classes of the 'union state'. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Northern Ireland
From the Plantation of Ulster in the seventeenth century to the entry into peace talks in the late twentieth century the Northern Irish people have been engaged in conflict - Catholic against Protestant, Republican against Unionist. The traumas of violence in the Northern Ireland Troubles have cast a long shadow. For many years, this appeared to be an intractable conflict with no pathway out. Mass mobilisations of people and dramatic political crises punctuated a seemingly endless succession of bloodshed. When in the 1990s and early 21st century, peace was painfully built, it brought together unlikely rivals, making Northern Ireland a model for conflict resolution internationally. But disagreement about the future of the province remains, and for the first time in decades one can now seriously speak of a democratic end to the Union between Northern Ireland and Great Britain as a foreseeable possibility. The Northern Ireland problem remains a fundamental issue as the United Kingdom recasts its relationship with Europe and the world. In this completely revised edition of his Very Short Introduction Marc Mulholland explores the pivotal moments in Northern Irish history - the rise of republicanism in the 1800s, Home Rule and the civil rights movement, the growth of Sinn Fein and the provisional IRA, and the DUP, before bringing the story up to date, drawing on newly available memoirs by paramilitary militants to offer previously unexplored perspectives, as well as recent work on Nothern Irish gender relations. Mulholland also includes a new chapter on the state of affairs in 21st Century Northern Ireland, considering the question of Irish unity in the light of both Brexit and the approaching anniversary of the 1921 partition, and drawing new lessons for the future. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The Celts
Savage and bloodthirsty, or civilized and peaceable? The Celts have long been a subject of enormous fascination, speculation, and misunderstanding. From the ancient Romans to the present day, their real nature has been obscured by a tangled web of preconceived ideas and stereotypes. Barry Cunliffe seeks to reveal this fascinating people for the first time, using an impressive range of evidence, and exploring subjects such as trade, migration, and the evolution of Celtic traditions. Along the way, he exposes the way in which society's needs have shaped our visions of the Celts, and examines such colourful characters as St Patrick, Cú Chulainn, and Boudica. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The Northern Ireland Troubles: Operation Banner 1969–2007
The British campaign in Northern Ireland remains one of the most controversial actions in recent history. Now in compact e-guide form, this book by Aaron Edwards considers the strategic, operational and tactical aspects of what become the longest ever campaign embarked upon by British troops. The 38-year campaign, codenamed Operation Banner, went through a number of phases. It began as a peacekeeping operation, morphed into a counter-insurgency operation and ending as a policing and counter-terrorism force. Banner was massive in scale. No less than 10,000 troops were on active service throughout the campaign and at one point as many as 30,000 men and women were deployed on Ulster's streets. Drawing on extensive up-to-date research, this book presents an authoritative introduction to the 'Troubles', providing a strategic analysis of the successes and failures of the campaign.