What's the Matter with Ireland?

What's the Matter with Ireland? by Ruth Russell is a probing, eyewitness account of Ireland’s upheaval in 1920 that asks why a nation rich in resources remained mired in poverty and conflict. Russell’s investigative nonfiction blends on-the-ground reportage with political analysis, tracing the rise of Sinn Féin, the dynamics of Irish labor and class struggle, AE (George William Russell)’s vision of peaceful reform, and the powerful role of the Catholic Church amid fears of communism. Drawing on interviews, speeches, and firsthand observations, Russell situates Irish unrest within the larger struggle for self-government and critiques British rule, while giving close attention to sectarian tensions in Belfast and the practical challenges facing an elected republican government. The tone is empathetic but candid, offering readers both contemporary color and careful interpretation of social, economic, and political forces shaping early-20th-century Ireland. Ideal for readers of Irish history, political nonfiction, and anyone interested in independence movements, labor history, or the roots of modern Ireland, this audiobook provides a compact, illuminating portrait of a nation at a crossroads and a thoughtful guide to the debates that shaped its future.