The Irish Republic is a history book written by Dorothy Macardle, first published in 1937, [1] which covers the formation and existence of the Irish Republic, the Irish War of Independence, the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Irish Civil War, a period which covered from 1919–1923. It was commissioned by politician Éamon de Valera, and is not politically neutral, with Macardle reportedly describing herself as a "propagandist, unrepentant and unashamed". [2]
The book, which was first published in 1937, analysed the period from an Irish republican, pro-Éamon de Valera perspective. [3] Sometimes disputed for aspects of its analysis, the book is described in a biography of Macardle as being "prized more for the insights it provides into the ideological disputes of its time than as a historical work in its own right". [4] Writing in 2016, Peter Berresford Ellis described it as "still the standard history of the period 1916–23 in Ireland". [5]
The book, along with Frank Pakenham's Peace by Ordeal, features on a number of reading lists for university courses which cover the period.[ citation needed] Among the reasons for this are:[ citation needed]
Macardle reportedly willed the royalties from the book, which has regularly been reprinted, to her close friend Éamon de Valera, [6] who wrote the book's foreword. The book's political allegiances were demonstrated unmistakably when a studio portrait of de Valera featured on the front page of some editions.[ citation needed]
Some historians, such as Patrick Murray, have found that the book's outline was substantially laid down by de Valera to create a continuous justification of his political views from 1916 to 1936, that was then fleshed out by Macardle. [7] De Valera said it was "the only really authoritative account of the period 1916–26". [2]
the book falls into the category of history as political propaganda in support of Eamon de Valera
The Irish Republic is a history book written by Dorothy Macardle, first published in 1937, [1] which covers the formation and existence of the Irish Republic, the Irish War of Independence, the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Irish Civil War, a period which covered from 1919–1923. It was commissioned by politician Éamon de Valera, and is not politically neutral, with Macardle reportedly describing herself as a "propagandist, unrepentant and unashamed". [2]
The book, which was first published in 1937, analysed the period from an Irish republican, pro-Éamon de Valera perspective. [3] Sometimes disputed for aspects of its analysis, the book is described in a biography of Macardle as being "prized more for the insights it provides into the ideological disputes of its time than as a historical work in its own right". [4] Writing in 2016, Peter Berresford Ellis described it as "still the standard history of the period 1916–23 in Ireland". [5]
The book, along with Frank Pakenham's Peace by Ordeal, features on a number of reading lists for university courses which cover the period.[ citation needed] Among the reasons for this are:[ citation needed]
Macardle reportedly willed the royalties from the book, which has regularly been reprinted, to her close friend Éamon de Valera, [6] who wrote the book's foreword. The book's political allegiances were demonstrated unmistakably when a studio portrait of de Valera featured on the front page of some editions.[ citation needed]
Some historians, such as Patrick Murray, have found that the book's outline was substantially laid down by de Valera to create a continuous justification of his political views from 1916 to 1936, that was then fleshed out by Macardle. [7] De Valera said it was "the only really authoritative account of the period 1916–26". [2]
the book falls into the category of history as political propaganda in support of Eamon de Valera