The Lemass Era: Politics and Society in the Ireland of Sean Lemass - Softcover

"the book reveal[s] much about one of the most outstanding political leaders this country has ever produced. Sean Lemass was a true exception to the usual run of politicians, a doer rather than a talker, both feet very firmly on the ground." Books Ireland March 2006 "The Lemass Era will be welcomed by anyone with an interest in Irish politics and society since the 1950s ... [Lemass] linked national progress with an upsurge of patriotism. This he defined as 'a combination of love of country, pride in its history, traditions and culture, and a determination to add to its prestige and achievements.' Mold breaker and mold maker indeed." Irish Literary Supplement Spring 2007A"It will prove to be an invaluable resource for undergraduates taking survey courses in twentieth-century Ireland and the collection should also appeal to a general audience A... [chapters] by the established academics provide invaluable summaries of, and gateways to, the authors' more substantial monographs, while those by the younger scholars promise interesting work to come. The Lemass Era A... is a worthwhile addition to an increasingly impressive catalogue of publications from UCD Press on nineteenth- and twentieth-century Irish history.A" William Murphy Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin The English Historical Review CXXIII: 806-808 June 2008

"The Age of Lemass" focuses on the impact of Sean Lemass on Irish politics and society between 1945 and 1973. Although Lemass had been active in Irish politics from 1916 and became Minister for Industry and Commerce in 1932 in the first de Valera government, the essays here suggest that his influence was greatest after 1945. Lemass developed his thinking to meet the challenges of the post-war world, and although he was sixty in 1959, he sought to modernize Irish society. Thus it can be argued that his influence on contemporary Ireland was greater than that of de Valera.