Studies in Irish history, 1603-1649, second series : $b Being a course of lectures delivered before the Irish Literary Society of London.

Delivered originally as a series of lectures before the Irish Literary Society of London, this work surveys the turbulent opening decades of the 17th‑century Irish experience. It opens with the uneasy aftermath of the Battle of Kinsale and the death of the Tudor dynasty, setting the stage for James I’s hopeful yet fragile promises of conciliation. From there the narrative moves swiftly to the stark realities of famine, dispossession and the shifting loyalties of both Anglo‑Irish and Gaelic elites.

The centerpiece is a vivid account of the Ulster Plantation, where the Crown’s drive to reward English and Scottish settlers collided with the bitter grievances of dispossessed Irish lords. Through intercepted letters, courtroom intrigue and the plight of figures such as Sir Donnell O’Cahan, the lectures expose how legal pretences and personal ambition reshaped the landscape. Listeners will hear how early policies sowed the distrust that later erupted into wider conflict.

Presented in clear, scholarly language, the series weaves primary source excerpts with thoughtful analysis, making a complex period accessible without sacrificing depth. It offers anyone curious about Ireland’s early modern transformation a concise, engaging guide to the forces that forged its later history.