County Derry author releases latest book on partition
Russell Rees charts the history of Ireland since partition.
The Partition of Ireland 1900-25 is the latest publication from the pen of renowned historian, Dr Russell Rees, a native of Kilrea.
The book looks at a pivotal period in the history of the island and considers the part played by influential political figures in Ireland and Britain.
Indeed, a recurring theme in the book is the way in which Irish affairs impacted on British politics in the first quarter of the 20th century.
The opening chapter analyses the state of both Irish Nationalism and Irish Unionism in the early years of the century and dwells on the strengths and weaknesses of these respective political forces and on their interaction with each other.
This is followed by an examination of the ‘Ulster Crisis’, the struggle for Irish Home Rule in the years before the First World War, the repercussions of which continue to shape contemporary politics.
Subsequently the war encouraged the radicalisation of Irish Nationalism, and this contributed to the Easter Rising and the emergence of a dynamic Sinn Fein movement.
Just ten weeks after the 1916 rebellion the Battle of the Somme began on 1 July. These two events had a profound impact on the country.
On the one hand the rising fuelled the demand for Irish independence. On the other the sacrifice of the 36th Ulster Division in Northern France strengthened the ties between Ulster and the British Empire.
The final two chapters reflect on the 1919-25 period and deal separately with the North and South. The reasons behind Westminster’s decision to establish a devolved parliament in Belfast for six, rather than nine, counties are carefully considered.
Dr Rees then charts the struggles of Craig’s new government to maintain order in the North, highlighting its failure to promote reconciliation with the Nationalist minority.
Turning to the South, the author outlines the essential differences between the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War, while conveying the high drama of the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations at the close of 1921.
By December 1925 the leaders of the London, Dublin and Belfast governments came together to sign a tripartite agreement that recognised the existing border.
Partition had been copper-fastened. The Partition of Ireland runs to 327 pages and retails at £17.
Copies can be purchased from Stevenson’s Newsagents, Bridge Street Kilrea, and from other outlets.