One Man's Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA

This book explores the relationship between the IRA and the political movement that developed alongside it to challenge British rule in Northern Ireland. It describes how Republicans fought a war on several fronts, using every weapon available to achieve their goal of a united Ireland. The conflict ended in stalemate with the peace process of the 1990s and the Good Friday Agreement.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 29 June 2021
Publisher: Verso Books

The conflict in Northern Ireland, which occurred in the aftermath of World War II, was one of the most devastating in post-war Europe, resulting in the loss of 3,500 lives and causing extensive injuries to countless others. This book presents a captivating new history of the radical politics that fueled a unique insurgency that emerged from the turbulent year of 1968. Drawing upon extensive archival research, One Man's Terrorist delves into the intricate relationship between the Irish Republican Army (IRA), a clandestine army renowned for its ruthless and effective tactics, and the political movement that grew alongside it to challenge British rule. Spanning from the administrations of Wilson and Heath to Thatcher and Blair, a generation of British politicians faced an unprecedented subversive threat that extended from West Belfast to Westminster.

Author Finn meticulously explores how Republicans waged a multifaceted war, employing a wide range of weapons and strategies to achieve their ultimate goal of a united Ireland. From the use of car bombs to election campaigns, street marches to hunger strikes, the IRA employed every tool at their disposal to push for their cause. While driven by an uncompromising revolutionary politics that fused militant nationalism with left-wing ideology, the IRA's movement was not monolithic, characterized by splits and internal conflicts throughout its history.

The IRA's war ultimately reached a stalemate, with the peace process initiated in the 1990s and the subsequent Good Friday Agreement establishing an uneasy balance that has persisted ever since. This book offers a profound and insightful examination of a complex and turbulent period in Irish history, shedding light on the enduring legacy of the conflict and its impact on the lives of those involved.

Weight: 224g
Dimension: 198 x 129 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781786636898