HI3409 Revolution and Civil War In Ireland

Module Coordinator: Professor David Fitzpatrick
Duration: All year
Contact hours: 3 hours per week
Weighting: 20 ECTS
Assessment: 20% essay, 80% examination

This module offers you the opportunity to carry out original research on a critical period in Irish history, embracing the War of Independence and the Treaty 'settlement' (Michaelmas term), and the civil war and creation of the two Irish states (Hilary term). Despite the multiplication of political and military studies, historians have made remarkably little use of the rich sources concerning social and economic history, and most aspects of the civil war. Ulster has been particularly neglected. You will be encouraged to rectify these deficiencies by preparing essays based on primary sources rather than secondary texts. The entire class will meet for a weekly debate, dividing into seminar groups for a 2-hour discussion of circulated documents and themes arising from the set readings.

The aim of this module is to conduct an intensive study of the Irish War of Independence and civil war and creation of the two Irish states in the early twentieth century, especially through the medium of primary sources

Bibliographical advice will be provided in the module handbook

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

• Recognize the principal developments in Irish history during the years of the War of Independence, the civil war and creation of the two Irish states
• Identify and contextualize the main interpretative trends and problems identified in historical writing on the period
• Undertake an advanced analysis of a wide range of relevant primary sources
• Apply different techniques of evaluation and interpretation to these sources
• Critique relevant historiography in the light of these sources
• Provide an individual synthesis based on a reading of primary and secondary sources
• Defend such a synthesis in written and oral presentations.