The history of Ireland told through the words of the people who lived
it
Eyewitness to Irish History draws upon original source materials to
capture the tumultuous events and rich texture of Irish history like no
other book. Comparing the readings compiled here to snapshots, the
renowned Celtic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis offers what is, in
essence, a family album of Ireland and the Irish people--beginning with
Golamh, the legendary leader of the band of Iberian Celts who settled
the island more than three thousand years ago, and concluding with
gripping firsthand accounts by those on both sides of the bloody civil
conflict in Northern Ireland.
Through sources ranging from ancient forsundun (praise songs) and the
hero kings to newspaper accounts, public decrees, and even graffiti,
Eyewitness to Irish History touches on virtually every major event and
offers vivid portraits of everyday life in Ireland through the
centuries.