Edward Heath and the Early Years of the Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968-1975 by Stephen Kelly

Edward Heath and the Early Years of the Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968-1975 by Stephen Kelly

This monograph is primarily a biographical examination of Edward Heath’s public and private attitude to Northern Ireland during his time as official leader of the Opposition (1965-1970 & 1974-1975) and U.K. prime minister (1970-1974). It is the first published study of its kind. Due to access to new and previously closed archival files, this book radically challenges the current historiography vis-à-vis Heath’s Northern Ireland policy.

It offers readers a fascinating insight into some of the more controversial aspects of the U.K. government’s Northern Ireland policy during the early years of the ‘Troubles’, including Heath’s attitude to the use of the so-called ‘five techniques’ of torture; his pivotal role during the events leading to ‘Bloody Sunday’, on 30 Janaury 1972; and, lastly, his role as one of the leading architects of the Sunningdale Agreement of December 1973.
By examining the various topics under consideration, this study provides readers with nuanced insight into how Heath formulated and implemented his Northern Ireland policies, primarily in the political, military, and security realms.

For Heath, Northern Ireland was not simply a political preoccupation. The subject, over time, became quite personal, not least given that Heath survived, not one, but two assassination attempts on his life, mounted by Irish Republican terrorists in 1974 and 1975, respectively. For the remainder of his life, Heath remained fearful that a third attempt on his life by Irish Republican paramilitaries would prove to be deadly.

Stephen Kelly is Professor of Modern Irish History and British-Irish Relations and Head of the School of Humanities at Liverpool Hope University, UK. He has published extensively in the field of Modern Irish History, British-Irish Relations, and the Northern Ireland Conflict. He is the author of Gerald Boland: A Biography (2024), 'A Failed Political Entity': Charles Haughey and the Northern Ireland Question, 1945-1992 (2016), Frank Aiken: Nationalist and Internationalist (edited collection) (2014), and Fianna Fáil, Partition and Northern Ireland, 1926-1971 (2013). Stephen Kelly’s first Bloomsbury book, Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative Party and the Northern Ireland Conflict, 1975-1990 (2021), was named a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles in 2022.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781350634756
ISBN 10	1350634751
Title	Edward Heath and the Early Years of the Northern Ireland Troubles, 1968-1975
Author	Stephen Kelly
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Year published	2026-11-12
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.