The Irish Free State was one of dozens of new European democracies to emerge from the cauldron of the 1914-1918 war. It was one of the very few that was still democratic in 1939. This book shows how the steely determination of one man, Kevin O'Higgins, made this possible. O'Higgins faced down mutinies in both the Gardai and the Army. He dissolved the Dáil Courts which were a parallel system that might easily have undermined the conventional courts. With WT Cosgrave, he put through a constitution which reconciled the local opponents of independence with the new State.

Indeed, American companies make three times as much profits from their investment in one E.U. country, Ireland, than they do from all their investments in China.

Non-proliferation will only work if all states are willing to cooperate, and that will only happen if all feel they are being treated fairly.

We in Ireland have not been immune from the bigotry and the indifference which manifested itself in Europe this century

The economy is not an abstraction. The economy consists of people, and it will only grow if people feel secure and are reasonably free.

The E.U. imports more agricultural goods from developing countries around the world than does the U.S., Canada and Japan, combined.

The U.S. - E.U. economic relationship dwarfs America's economic ties with China.