Author Description

Here Andrew J. Wilson tells the complex, fascinating story of Irish America's longtime role in the Ulster crisis. Having set the stage with a summary of Irish-American involvement in Irish politics from 1800 to 1968, he discusses the growth and development of both militant and constitutional nationalist groups in the U.S. and their impact on events in Northern Ireland and on British policies there. Wilson gives a comprehensive account of how militant Irish-American groups have supported the IRA through gunrunning, financial disbursements, and aid to members on the run, and he analyzes tactics used by the various groups for winning publicity and public sympathy for their cause. In his examination of Irish-American support for constitutional nationalism, Wilson focuses on the influence of the Friends of Ireland group in Congress and its attempts to shape British policy in Ulster. He also shows how the lobbying of prominent Irish-American politicians Edward M. Kennedy, Daniel P. Moynihan, Thomas P. O'Neill, and Hugh Carey influenced U.S. government policies and provided the Dublin government with leverage to use in diplomatic relations with the British. The result of extensive research and interviews with leading activists on both sides of the Atlantic, this telling of Irish America's role in the Ulster conflict will intrigue not only readers of Irish descent but all with an interest in modern American history and diplomacy.