Ireland paid a never-to-be-forgotten price for her position in the world today. A price that included wide-spread bloodshed and civil war, deep-rooted religious strife and the imprint upon the population of a passionate, burning hatred which still smolders.  No-one can hope to understand the new Ireland without understanding the fearful sequence of violent and bloody incidents which marked her beginnings. This stirring period of Irish history is described with sensitivity and sympathy by Clifford King, who goes on to link it with the present day and what has been achieved. Modern Ireland has now reached her fiftieth birthday and there are encouraging signs of a vigorous upsurge of economic and technical enterprise in many spheres. As well, Ireland is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist centre, both with European and American visitors, and is generally making an impression out of all proportion to her size. The author makes it clear that with new relationships developing between old enemies as well as old friends, Ireland may reasonably hope for a more prosperous and happy future.  PUBLISHED BY THE NEW ENGLISH LIBRARY LIMITED, 1965.