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Acknowledgements

I should begin by thanking Robert Tombs and Paul Bew as without their help this book would not have been written. From the very beginning, they have given me their time, their advice, and their support. The debt that I owe to them cannot be calculated. I was also fortunate enough to be one of the last students to be supervised by Peter Clarke. Like all the others that came before me, I benefited enormously from the experience.

Brendan Simms, George Boyce, Vincent Comerford, Tony Judt, Geoffrey Warner, Bob Purdie and Roy Foster all took the trouble to read early versions of some of the chapters. I am deeply grateful for their incisive and invaluable comments – all of which resulted in improvements to the text. Eugenio Biagini, Chris Clark, Mike Broers, Richard Drayton, Ray Ryan and John Bew gave me much-needed help and advice – I am glad to have this chance to thank them for their efforts on my behalf.

Although I have consciously tried to rely upon printed sources, this was not always possible. Fortunately, Roy Johnston, Anthony Coughlan and Kevin Boyle graciously allowed me to draw upon their memories and private papers. Their kindness kept me from making some costly errors and brought to my attention many things that I had overlooked.

The staffs of many research institutions have offered great assistance and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast, the National Archives at Kew, the British Library Newspaper Library at Colindale, the Linen Hall Library in Belfast, and the University Library in Cambridge. St John’s College, Cambridge, and Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, have been incredibly generous with the support that they gave me while I was writing and researching this book. At Irish Academic Press, Lisa Hyde and Kay Hyman deserve special thanks. Lisa has guided me through every stage of the process with sensitivity and professionalism. Kay carefully read through the typescript spotting problems and finding solutions.

My friends and family have always believed in me – even when I had stopped – and it is to them that this book is dedicated.