Irish Social History

Abandoned Ireland travels the length and breadth of the island of Ireland visiting and documenting our forgotten buildings, highlighting their social importance, and bringing their stories back to life through the medium of photography.

From body snatchers, to pirate queens and Celtic vampires, Ireland’s hidden history is explored here in a book bound to thrill and astound you from the first page.

When James Ryan finally retired from public life in 1969, the then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, observed that Ryan’s life ‘could well provide material for an absorbing and exciting book’. It has taken some time for such a work to emerge, but this book finally gives recognition to James Ryan and his role in the making of independent Ireland.

Drawing on extensive documentary research, Parnell’s Other Island uncovers the complex interplay between Parnell’s Irish nationalism and his life within British society. It argues that his years in England, at once a source of inspiration, conflict, and tragedy, were as vital to his political formation as his Irish roots. 

This fully-illustrated and authorised history marks 50 years of Ireland’s most ground-breaking and successful theatre company. Founded in 1975, Druid is a touring theatre company, anchored in the West of Ireland and looking to the world.

This is a story which will take the reader through the streets of Carrickmacross, through musty courtrooms and to the Dáil itself for what must have seemed a never-ending battle. It is a story that has needed to be told, not just for the sake of Carrickmacross, but for the sake of Ireland now well into its second century as an independent nation.

Siege was the defining experience of the grindingly brutal and consequential Irish Wars of Religion (1641–53). Civilians were more likely to encounter siege warfare as participants and as victims than any other kind of military action. . .

They Say it Might Rain tells the fascinating tale of Ireland’s weather and our connection to it through the ages.

The follow up to best-selling Three Castles Burning is here. Historian and Podcaster Donal Fallon returns with this exciting social and cultural history of that most venerable institution, the Dublin pub.

AN POST BOOK AWARDS. SHORTLISTED FOR HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025

Their stories may make you laugh, gasp or even shed a tear, as you encounter the colourful – and oftentimes messy – lives of Ulster’s Presbyterians.  

History is all around us – from pre-historic megalithic Ireland through to the old customs and habits of everyday Irish life. Remnants of Our Past tells the story of Irish people, their memories preserved in these forgotten places. 

In this richly illustrated book, the bestselling duo of Michael B. Barry and John O’Byrne bring the story of the Irish farm vividly to life, from the late nineteenth century to the close of the twentieth.

At the Rising of the Moon is a sweeping history of a time in Ireland during which the old social order of lordship and tribal property was smashed and erected on its ruins was a social structure of peasants and landlords. 

Ireland’s maritime climate combined with its history of demesnes has provided important gardens which are rich in artistic heritage as well as plant collections from around the world. . .

Across artificial intelligence, climate change, food safety, transport and communication, the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) are integral to modern society. . .

Essential reading for historians, healthcare professionals, and anyone interested in the development of modern nursing. This book sheds light on a pivotal yet overlooked chapter in Irish medical history.

Evoking countless sodden, shivery experiences on this Atlantic-swept Island of ours, this beautifully illustrated gift book uses Irish words to grasp an almost-lost world through the wisdom stored in the Irish language.

AN POST BOOK AWARDS. WINNER OF BEST IRISH PUBLISHED BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025

With thoughtful commentary and a comprehensive index, this volume is essential for anyone interested in Irish heritage, genealogy, or the enduring power of names to carry identity across generations.

Tracing the evolution of national hunt and point-to-point racing in Ireland from the eighteenth century to the present day, this book is the story of a people, a place, and their horses. . .

The GAA Covered is a stunning visual compendium of GAA programmes. With over 100 years of material contained within, each page features striking images of that year’s provincial and All-Ireland final match programmes, along with superb captions of context and colour.

AN POST BOOK AWARDS. SHORTLISTED FOR BEST IRISH PUBLISHED BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025