In this completely revised and updated edition of The Irish Question, Lawrence J. McCaffrey extends his classic analysis of Irish nationalism to the present day, including new information on the Irish Civil War, the formation of the Irish Republic, the bitter sectarian struggle in Northern Ireland, and the 1994 ceasefire.

McCaffrey makes clear the tortured history of British-Irish relations and offers insight into the difficulties now facing those who hope to create a permanent peace in Northern Ireland.

The bitter dissensions created by the Irish Question left permanent marks on British politics and institutions, contributing to political confusion and instability. And the 1921 partitioning of Ireland has resulted in decades of sectarian violence.

McCaffrey traces how, beginning in the 1970s, politicians in London and Dublin gradually reached consensus in their approach to Northern Ireland, a consensus that produced the 1994 ceasefire and a promise of negotiations that may lead to permanent peace and a satisfactory political accommodation. Unfortunately, as he also makes clear, centuries of cultural conflict and unshared history do not suggest an easy solution.

1. With an entirely new chapter covering recent events in Ireland and a new conclusion, this edition of The Irish Question will be a critical asset to anyone concerned with the history of Ireland. Students, scholars, and general readers alike will find this well written and accessible volume a welcome addition to their shelves.