Historian and author Dr John Burke talks about the history of Roscommon in the 1912–23 during the Irish revolutionary period which covers the Great War, Irish War of Independence and Irish Civil War.
Roscommon was an agricultural area which had been solid political territory of the Irish Parliamentary Party. However, during the war, the area became increasingly more radical and saw the election of the first Sinn Féin-backed MP in a bye election in 1917. In 1919, Roscommon men took up arms against the British to pursue Sinn Féin aims, only to turn the weapons on one another three years later when conflict over the continued pursuit of the Irish Republic led to civil war.
John talks about the political, economic and social impacts of the conflict. His talk is based on his recent book ‘Roscommon: The Irish Revolution, 1912–23’ published by Four Courts Press (https://bit.ly/33ygYjl).
John Burke holds a PhD in history from National University of Ireland, Galway. Among other works, he is the author of Athlone, 1900–1923: politics, revolution and civil war (Dublin, 2015).