"This is the first ever collection of scholarly essays on the history of the Irish working class. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the involvement of Irish workers in political life during a period of significant turmoil and profound historical change. Fourteen historians and political scientists examine the engagement of Irish workers in key political movements and moments that have helped shape modern Ireland. By concentrating specifically on the intersection of politics and the working class, this book not only broadens the focus of Irish labour history, but also redresses an imbalance in Irish political history and adds to the international historiography of the working class."--Jacket.