In 1900, Ireland was a restless, impoverished, neglected corner of the British Empire. By 2000, it had become the "Celtic Tiger" of Europe. How did this happen? This landmark book by one of today's most exciting young historians sets out to give a full account of what it was like to grow up and live in twentieth-century Ireland, and it is the first comprehensive social, political, cultural, intellectual, and economic survey of that Irish century.<BR>Diarmaid Ferriter weaves together the many threads that make up this complex story - from the drama of its politics to the "hidden pasts" revealed in memoirs and previously unpublished sources - to tell the history of a bitterly divided society. Ferriter focuses on the social and cultural aspects, the changing role of women and the family, and relationships with Europe and the U.K., alongside the political and religious divisions that dominated headlines throughout the century. With its grand ambition and scope, along with its innovative use of sources, The Transformation Of Ireland makes a strong claim as the definitive account of contemporary Ireland.