The man who wrote Ulysses also had quite a lot to say about Irish history, the Irish character and the nature of everything. His novel may have been boring, or unalloyed genius - but there is no question that he could be very funny when he wanted to be. The whole question of the relationship between Britain and Ireland, the famine, the Empire and the 12 centuries of British rule is a complex and difficult one, which is brought to light by this careful selection of great thoughts about Irish history.