D.W. Harkness

This well written and argued book has stood the test of time. While written in 1969 it is still of relevance as Harkness was the first historian to examine the changing Irish role in commonwealth affairs since Independence up until the 1932 General Election when Fianna Fáil assumed power and ceased attending meetings. The Irish role in the commonwealth is linked with the Irish role in the League of Nations at this time as the policy was to assert the new state in both organisations, find allies, and to distinguish her from Britain. This she did and Harkness particularly demonstrates the close relationship formed with Canada and South Africa which benefitted all countries. In my view the book should be followed up with by reading Michael Kennedy’s Ireland and the League of Nations as they complement each other and Kennedy’s is a recent publication on early Irish foreign policy.… (more)