"Great Irish Speeches charts the changes in twentieth century Ireland through the speeches of those who shaped its destiny at home and abroad. Every major event, North and South is introduced and then described through the oratory of a contemporary leader. The subjects covered include the First World War, the Easter Rising, the War of Independence, the Civil War and the Second World War. Threaded throughout the book is the influence of the Catholic Church, the aspirations of nationalists and unionists in the North, and the way that others see us - from Winston Churchill to John F. Kennedy and Pope John Paul II."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved