Turning Points of the Irish Revolution

"In his exploration of British governance during the Irish Revolution, Benjamin Grob-Fitzgibbon analyzes the role that British intelligence played during the critical nine years from the onset of the Ulster Crisis in 1912 to the end of the Irish War of Independence in 1921. He argues that in that period, the British government lost power in Ireland because it failed to utilize the intelligence it received. The government, however, chose to ignore that intelligence. In the period of clandestine organization (1914-1916), the security forces were less meticulous, choosing to focus on Irish public opinion towards the British war effort in France rather than an Irish insurgency. Throughout these stages, by its indifference, the British government contributed to the turning points of the Irish Revolution, and allowed a bloody guerrilla war to develop that was far from inevitable."--Jacket.