War and Politics in Ireland, 1649-173

Book excerpt: Nowhere is the mid-20th century 'historiographical revolution' in Irish history better represented than in the writings of J. G. Simms, one of the most prolific historians of this generation. In a stream of books and papers from the early 1950s to his death in 1979, Simms tackled some of the most vexed and vexing questions in all Irish history: the wars, confiscations, persecutions and politics of the later 17th century. Topics such as Cromwell's sieges, the 'Glorious Revolution' and its aftermath, the later passage of the infamous 'penal laws' against Catholics are all episodes close to the heart of modern myth-makers, and yet all are described by Simms with fairness and exemplary clarity. This is a collection of his key essays, all of which remain a valuable resource for scholars of war and politics in early modern Ireland.