Northern Ireland Fact and Fiction

Communal strife in Northern Ireland forced itself on the attention of Great Britain and the rest of the world twenty years ago, and has been a matter for continuing concern ever since. Conflict based on confessional differences was once commonplace in Europe, and it still survives in Ireland. Why this should still be so, (a source of incomprehension, bewilderment and exasperation to most outside observers) the author attempts to explain. He traces the development of Ulster society since its origin in the plantations of the 17th century to the present time. Most emphasis is given to its evolution since Northern Ireland was established as a separate entity by the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, and to its relationships with the rest of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic. The author also attempts to analyze the psychology and mythology of the two main religious groupings. This book is the result of exhaustive reading and reflection on the part of the author, a native of Northern Ireland, who has been closely involved with the province throughout his life.;This book should be of interest to students and lecturers in history and Irish studies.