Stephen Kelly Book order

Gerald Boland (Gearóid Ó Beoláin) Irish militant revolutionary, politician and statesman, has until now ranked amongst the forgotten figures of modern Irish history. This book addresses this historical imbalance. Boland's life story offers readers an insight into the birth and subsequent development of the modern Ireland. From a humble working-class family, steeped in the Irish Republican tradition, Boland played an active role in the Irish Revolution and subsequently was at the forefront of political life in the nascent years of the Irish Free State, first as a Sinn Féin elected representative and thereafter within Fianna Fáil. Boland's story thus offers readers a personal insight into many of the major military and political events which helped shape modern Ireland over the duration of his lifetime (1885-1973). Importantly, this biographical study provides readers with a critical examination regarding Gerald Boland's military adventures, political manoeuvres and significantly his forgotten role as one of Ireland's eminent state builders. The picture that is painted is of a patriotic adolescent emerging to become a strong-willed militant young man turned politician and later respected (and sometimes feared) government minister. He was never afraid to speak his mind, exhibiting an independent spirit, which invariably gained him a reputation for often displaying examples of brutal honesty. He did not suffer fools gladly.

A delightful meander down memory lane recalling the boundless possibilities of the 1950s

Telling the story of the more than 100,000 British troops who fought in Korea between 1950 and 1953, in their own words

Chronicling a man's nearly fifty-year struggle with abuse, failed marriages, bullying, and addiction, the narrative emphasizes resilience and spiritual reconnection. Rather than dwelling on despair, he embarks on a transformative journey towards healing and peace through faith. As his story unfolds, readers are drawn into his emotional turmoil and ultimate triumph, creating a deeply moving experience that resonates with hope and redemption.

The first woman elected to lead a major Western power and the longest serving British prime minister for 150 years, Margaret Thatcher is arguably one the most dominant and divisive forces in 20th-century British politics. Yet there has been no overarching exploration of the development of Thatcher's views towards Northern Ireland from her appointment as Conservative Party leader in 1975 until her forced retirement in 1990. In this original and much-needed study, Stephen Kelly rectifies this.From Thatcher's 'no surrender' attitude to the Republican hunger strikes to her nurturing role in the early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process, Kelly traces the evolutionary and sometimes contradictory nature of Thatcher's approach to Northern Ireland. In doing so, this book reflects afresh on the political relationship between Britain and Ireland in the late-20th century.An engaging and nuanced analysis of previously neglected archival and reported sources, Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative Party and the Northern Ireland Conflict, 1975-1990 is a vital resource for those interested in Thatcherism, Anglo-Irish relations, and 20th-century British political history more broadly.

Arriving in the rural community of Marbury to investigate a gruesome murder, Inspector Lamb discovers that the victim's mysterious past is linked to the history of Elton House, a once-grand estate transformed into a hospital for "shell-shocked" officers sent back from the front lines.

Exploring the intersection of education and governance, this book examines how governments utilize literacy as a tool to manage and secure 'dangerous' populations. It highlights various strategies employed by states to ensure national and social stability, as well as economic and geopolitical security. By analyzing different approaches to literacy and education, the work sheds light on the broader implications of governmentalities in shaping societal dynamics and power relations.

The book delves into the tumultuous career of Charles Haughey, a pivotal figure in Irish politics, whose ambitions were significantly shaped by the Northern Ireland conflict. It explores his shifting stance on the IRA, from a hardline approach to allegations of funding arms for Republicans, which nearly ended his career. Utilizing newly declassified documents, Stephen Kelly examines Haughey's complex relationships, particularly with Margaret Thatcher, and his controversial role in the peace process, revealing the intricate motives behind his political actions.

In the late summer of 1941, as the war deepens, Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Lamb must risk his life to sort out the links between a series of killings—past and present—in a Hampshire village brimming with buried secrets. In the late summer of 1941, as the war in Europe drags on, long-buried secrets begin to surface in the Hampshire village of Winstead, when the body of a young woman—a former conscientious objector—is found shot to death in the church cemetery. The woman’s only connection to Winstead seems to be that she lately had joined a group of conscripted workers who are building a prisoner of war camp on an abandoned farm near the village. But Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Lamb, who is called in to solve the case, has his doubts. The mystery deepens when workers at the farm find the remains of a child in the foundation of the old farmhouse, and a tramp who had been squatting in the wood near the church turns up dead. Lamb soon begins to suspect that the crimes might be related to a tragic event that occurred in Winstead more than twenty years earlier—the suicide of a village woman who took her life in despair after her husband abandoned her and took their young twin sons with him. As Lamb pieces together the connections between the crimes, he draws closer to the source of evil in Winstead’s past and present and, in the end, must risk his own life to uncover the truth.