Catalogue

COVID-19: Updates on library services and operations.

UofT Libraries is getting a new library services platform in January 2021.
Learn more about the change.

Defending Ireland : the Irish state and its enemies since 1922 /
Eunan O'Halpin.
imprint
Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, c1999.
description
xvi, 382 p. ; 24 cm.
ISBN
0198204264 (hc.)
format(s)
Book
Holdings
Subjects
geographic term
More Details
author
title
imprint
Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, c1999.
isbn
0198204264 (hc.)
local note
Trinity Library copy signed by the author.
catalogue key
3435978
 
Includes bibliographical references (p. [354]-363) and index.
A Look Inside
Full Text Reviews
Appeared in Choice on 2000-05-01:
O'Halpin (Dublin City Univ.), an authority on Irish security and intelligence, distills years of research in this comprehensive study of Ireland's defense policy. Subjects treated include development of a military establishment, military strategy and its interaction with both partisan politics and foreign relations, and the amalgam of espionage, counterintelligence, and countersubversion. O'Halpin judges that republican Ireland has been unique among Western European states in needing an army and intelligence apparatus less for defense against foreign enemies than to guarantee peace and order against domestic malcontents like the IRA. He attributes Irish democracy's survival in large part to its loyal, competent, unappreciated, and severely underfunded security services. There were, however, several security imbroglios between the 1920s and '70s in which only political finesse combined with good luck saved the republican state from turmoil or even ruin. Abundant Irish, British, and American archival sources are exploited for the years before 1969. Thereafter, analysis based on ephemeral journalism and self-interested memoirs will require eventual correction by declassified documentary evidence. This book is indispensable for collections on Irish history and politics. Upper-division undergraduates and above. D. M. Cregier; University of Prince Edward Island
Reviews
Review Quotes
'a fascinating account of how the gardai and the Defence Forces have dealtwith foreign and domestic threats, real and perceived, to the Irish state since1922 ... comprehensively researched and highly readable, it is an indispensablework for anyone interested in 20th century Irish history.'Michael Kennedy, Sunday Tribune, 29/8/99
'a fascinating account of how the gardai and the Defence Forces have dealt with foreign and domestic threats, real and perceived, to the Irish state since 1922 ... comprehensively researched and highly readable, it is an indispensable work for anyone interested in 20th century Irish history.'Michael Kennedy, Sunday Tribune, 29/8/99
An excellent synthesis of the development of police and army in independent Ireland.
'An excellent synthesis of the development of police and army inindependent Ireland'American Historical Review, February 2001
'An excellent synthesis of the development of police and army in independent Ireland'American Historical Review, February 2001
'Even readers well familiar with 20th-century Irish political history willglean many new insights from this highly original approach.'Patricia Quinn, The Irish Times 4/12/99
'Even readers well familiar with 20th-century Irish political history will glean many new insights from this highly original approach.'Patricia Quinn, The Irish Times 4/12/99
'For anyone wanting to understand the development of Ireland's defence andsecurity policies since independence, this is the book. It not only containsmuch new research but the best synthesis and analysis of previously availablematerial.'Paul McMahon, Journal of Intelligence and National Security, Vol. 15, Autumn2000
'For anyone wanting to understand the development of Ireland's defence and security policies since independence, this is the book. It not only contains much new research but the best synthesis and analysis of previously available material.'Paul McMahon, Journal of Intelligence and National Security, Vol. 15, Autumn 2000
His sharply written critique is based on formidable research ... the profusion of detail carries a persuasive sense of certainty about many previously obscure issues.
'In particular, his study and analysis of intelligence and the resultingnew findings constitute a significant addition to the literature. Hisjudgements are occasionally harsh, but seldom anything but wholly justified (andnever less than wholly documented).'G. T. Dempsey, Irish Historical Studies
'In particular, his study and analysis of intelligence and the resulting new findings constitute a significant addition to the literature. His judgements are occasionally harsh, but seldom anything but wholly justified (and never less than wholly documented).'G. T. Dempsey, Irish Historical Studies
'O'Halpin, an authority on Irish security and intelligence, distills yearsof research in this comprehensive study of Ireland's defense policy. This bookis indispensible for collections on Irish history and politics.'Choice May 2000
'O'Halpin, an authority on Irish security and intelligence, distills years of research in this comprehensive study of Ireland's defense policy. This book is indispensible for collections on Irish history and politics.'Choice May 2000
O'Halpin's most significant findings relate to the Emergency, when intelligence work was wider ranging and better documented than in peacetime ... energetic, original, and thought-provoking contribution to the history of the Irish state.
'O'Haplin has written a provocative book which is highly relevant tocurrent debates in Ireland about that country's position in the world.'Paul McMahon, Journal of Intelligence and National Security, Vol. 15, Autumn2000
'O'Haplin has written a provocative book which is highly relevant to current debates in Ireland about that country's position in the world.'Paul McMahon, Journal of Intelligence and National Security, Vol. 15, Autumn 2000
This formidably researched book constitutes a major contribution to thehistorical understanding of modern Ireland. The first comprehensive accountingof the state's security position from independence to the present, it fills innot just historiographical gaps but a conceptual one as well. G. T. Dempsey,Irish Historical Studies
This formidably researched book constitutes a major contribution to the historical understanding of modern Ireland. The first comprehensive accounting of the state's security position from independence to the present, it fills in not just historiographical gaps but a conceptual one as well.G. T. Dempsey, Irish Historical Studies
'throughout the book, O'Halpin's findings are judicious'G. T. Dempsey, Irish Historical Studies
1. The state and civil war, 1921-3 2. The civilianization of internal security, 1923-32 3. Ireland's defence dilemma, 1923-32 4. Internal security and external defence, 1932-9 5. External defence and security, 1939-45 6. Security operations and covert activities, 1939-45 7. Ireland in the postwar world, 1945-69 8. Unresolved questions: defence, security and subversion, 1969-97 Notes, Bibliography, Index
'An excellent synthesis of the development of police and army in independent Ireland'American Historical Review, February 2001'O'Haplin has written a provocative book which is highly relevant to current debates in Ireland about that country's position in the world.'Paul McMahon, Journal of Intelligence & National Security, Vol. 15, Autumn 2000'For anyone wanting to understand the development of Ireland's defence and security policies since independence, this is the book. It not only contains much new research but the best synthesis and analysis of previously available material.'Paul McMahon, Journal of Intelligence & National Security, Vol. 15, Autumn 2000'In particular, his study and analysis of intelligence and the resulting new findings constitute a significant addition to the literature. His judgements are occasionally harsh, but seldom anything but wholly justified (and never less than wholly documented).'G. T. Dempsey, Irish Historical Studies'throughout the book, O'Halpin's findings are judicious'G. T. Dempsey, Irish Historical StudiesThis formidably researched book constitutes a major contribution to the historical understanding of modern Ireland. The first comprehensive accounting of the state's security position from independence to the present, it fills in not just historiographical gaps but a conceptual one as well. G. T. Dempsey, Irish Historical Studies'a fascinating account of how the gardai and the Defence Forces have dealt with foreign and domestic threats, real and perceived, to the Irish state since 1922 ... comprehensively researched and highly readable, it is an indispensable work for anyone interested in 20th century Irish history.'Michael Kennedy, Sunday Tribune, 29/8/99'O'Halpin, an authority on Irish security and intelligence, distills years of research in this comprehensive study of Ireland's defense policy. This book is indispensible for collections on Irish history and politics.'Choice May 2000'Even readers well familiar with 20th-century Irish political history will glean many new insights from this highly original approach.'Patricia Quinn, The Irish Times 4/12/99
This item was reviewed in:
Choice, May 2000
To find out how to look for other reviews, please see our guides to finding book reviews in the Sciences or Social Sciences and Humanities.
Summaries
Bowker Data Service Summary
This text draws together the various strands of Irish national security policy and practice in a single chronological study. It analyzes the emergence of a complex external security policy, the commitment to military neutrality and independent defence.
Long Description
The first study to investigate the interlinked problems of domestic security and national defense in Ireland, this book describes the development of the Irish army and police since 1922.
Long Description
This book is the first to draw together the various strands of Irish national security policy and practice in a single chronological study, from independence in 1922 right up to the present day. Dr O'Halpin analyses the rapid emergence of a complex external security policy combining an absolute commitment to military neutrality and independent defence with close co-operation with Britain over issues of joint concern such as security and immigration. He traces the development of the army and police force in the new Irish state; and examines the state's reaction to the enduring republican threat, casting fresh light on how far the state was willing to put key constitutional protections into abeyance in its conflict with the republican movement. The book also examines the clandestine intelligence activities of belligerent powers during the Second World War, documenting the growth of the state's close wartime security understandings with the Allied powers, and the evolution of Cold War links with MI5 and the CIA. It investigates the evolution of post-war defence policy, and the activities of the defence forces in relation to the Northern Ireland crisis, as well as in their primary tasks of defending the state from external aggression and of contributing to UN peace-keeping operations. Dr O'Halpin highlights continuities as well as innovations in state security policy as the obligations and opportunities of European Union membership grate more and more against the absolutist rhetoric of neutrality. This book is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the development of the Irish state in the twentieth century.
Main Description
This book is the first to draw together the various strands of Irish national security policy and practice in a single chronological study, from independence in 1922 right up to the present day. Dr O'Halpin analyses the rapid emergence of a complex external security policy combining anabsolute commitment to military neutrality and independent defence with close co-operation with Britain over issues of joint concern such as security and immigration. He traces the development of the army and police force in the new Irish state; and examines the state's reaction to the enduringrepublican threat, casting fresh light on how far the state was willing to put key constitutional protections into abeyance in its conflict with the republican movement. The book also examines the clandestine intelligence activities of belligerent powers during the Second World War, documenting the growth of the state's close wartime security understandings with the Allied powers, and the evolution of Cold War links with MI5 and the CIA. It investigates theevolution of post-war defence policy, and the activities of the defence forces in relation to the Northern Ireland crisis, as well as in their primary tasks of defending the state from external aggression and of contributing to UN peace-keeping operations. Dr O'Halpin highlights continuities as wellas innovations in state security policy as the obligations and opportunities of European Union membership grate more and more against the absolutist rhetoric of neutrality. This book is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the development of the Irish state in the twentiethcentury.
Unpaid Annotation
This is the first study to investigate the interlinked problems of domestic security and national defence in Ireland. O'Halpin describes the development of the army and police since 1922. He examines how the emerging Irish state tried to balance an absolute commitment to military neutrality and independent defence with the need for close co-operation with Britain in dealing with perceived republican and communist threats.
Table of Contents
The state and civil war, 1921-3
The civilianization of internal security, 1923-32
Ireland's defence dilemma, 1923-32
Internal security and external defence, 1932-9
External defence and security, 1939-45
Security operations and covert activities, 1939-45
Ireland in the post-war world, 1945-69
Unresolved questions: defence, security and subversion since 1969
Notes, Bibliography, Index
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

This information is provided by a service that aggregates data from review sources and other sources that are often consulted by libraries, and readers. The University does not edit this information and merely includes it as a convenience for users. It does not warrant that reviews are accurate. As with any review users should approach reviews critically and where deemed necessary should consult multiple review sources. Any concerns or questions about particular reviews should be directed to the reviewer and/or publisher.
MARC View
Click here to load MARC record

  link to old catalogue

Report a problem