A City in Civil War: Dublin 1921–1924

A Social History of the Irish Civil War in Ireland’s Capital City

The long-awaited concluding volume of Pádraig Yeates’ ‘Dublin at War’ trilogy

In A City in Civil War: Dublin 1921–1924, acclaimed historian Pádraig Yeates turns his attention to Ireland’s bloody and hard-fought Civil War and its impact on the capital city and its inhabitants.

The fascinating A City in Civil War tells the story of Dublin’s troubled passage to independence amidst the acrimony and upheaval of the Civil War, a period in which Dublin became the capital city of an independent Irish state for the first time.

Once again, conflict raged on Dublin’s streets, but this time the combatants were Irishmen – neighbours, friends, families – fighting each other. For a great many Dubliners, life remained a cycle of grinding poverty, but for many southern Unionists, ex-servicemen and anti-Treaty republicans, the city became a hostile environment. And all the while, the Catholic Church strengthened its grip on Irish cultural life, supplying many of the vital social services an embattled government was too poor and too preoccupied to provide its citizens.

In his distinctive and engaging style, Pádraig Yeates uncovers unknown and neglected aspects of the Irish Civil War in the capital and their impact on the rest of the country.

‘Pádraig Yeates excels as a social historian and never loses sight of the ordinary citizen.’
The Irish Times

‘A powerful social history … reminds us that for all the headline grabbing events, putting bread on the table was still the most important priority for most’
Professor Diarmaid Ferriter, The Irish Independent

‘Reminds the reader of how daily life went on side by side with the great events of history. In short, this is an excellent addition to the current literature.’
Irish Literary Supplement