The Border cover art

The Border

The Legacy of a Century of Anglo-Irish Politics

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The Border

By: Diarmaid Ferriter
Narrated by: Aidan Kelly
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About this listen

For the past two decades, you could cross the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic half a dozen times without noticing or, indeed, without turning off the road you were travelling. It cuts through fields, winds back-and-forth across roads, and wends from the mouth of the Newry River to the mouth of the Foyle. It's frictionless - a feat sealed by the Good Friday Agreement. Before that, watchtowers loomed over border communities, military checkpoints dotted the roads, and bridges had been demolished to prevent crossings. This is a past that most are happy to have left behind but it may also be the future.

The border between the Irish Republic-Northern Ireland border has been a topic of dispute for over a century, first in Dublin, Belfast and Westminster and now, post referendum, in Brussels. Diarmaid Ferriter charts its history from the divisive 1920s Act to the Treaty and its aftermath, through 'the Troubles' and the Good Friday Agreement up to the Brexit negotiations. With the fate of the border uncertain, the Border is a timely intervention into one of the most contentious and misunderstood political issues of our time.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Diarmaid Ferriter (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK
Europe Great Britain England United Kingdom Irish Politics

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I have been interested in modern Irish history for a long time and have never really understood the border other to know it had caused a lot of trouble in my lifetime. This book explains the history of Ireland’s independence from the British Empire and how the border and subsequent troubles came about. It tells the painstaking politics it took to bring about a fragile peace. It also talks about the damage Brexit could do to that peace and of English exceptionalism and magical thinking.

A great bit of history seriously misunderstood by many.

Irish history every English person should know

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Perhaps not easily digestible in audio form for everyone. Some folk might appreciate this more if they're able to keep track of dates and names on paper. I found myself getting a little lost, especially in areas/decades where I had very little background knowledge. The content is solid, the narrator was good, but the scope of the task and the speed with which we moved through time made it hard to grapple with everything in the book.

That said, I might just listen again to the chapters I struggled with.

Lots of dates

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I loved this book. A thoroughly engaging listen that gave a really up to date view of recent Irish history.

A brilliant overview

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A good synopsis of the results of British imperial arrogance & cultural ignorance in its own back yard

History Lesson for Little-Englanders

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A clear view of the legacy of the British border in Ireland. Learned a lot even as an Irishman. Narrator uses that false pronunciation of 'r' as 'a' that is creeping into the south of Ireland e.g. "borda" rather than "border", "eva" rather than "ever". Every sentence had that false "ah" sound. Drove me nuts even though he was otherwise good.

Good book, annoying narration

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