The Irish Civil War.

The Irish Civil War was fought by supporters of the treaty (signed by Michael Collins) on one side and opponents of the treaty (the American-born Eamonn De Valera) on the other.

De Valera, it turned out, was neither British enough (Ireland was still part of Britain at this time) nor prominent enough to be hanged for treason for his part in the uprising of 1916 (it might upset the Americans) but he was quite Irish enough to lead the country in the 1930’s and later become its president.

See the Palme D’or winner “The Wind that Shakes the Barley” for an idea of the devastation caused by the civil war:

Here’s a link to another new documentary from the same approximate time frame:

Read the definitive biography of Michael Collins by Tim Pat Coogan for more information:

Liam Neeson starred in a Hollywood film with Julia Roberts about his life. (The best thing about the film is the subliminal perfection of Neeson’s local West Cork accent.)

While we’re on the topic, the best film I have ever seen is The Dead, John Houston’s last film. Ever. Bar none. It is a tour de force – the director of, for example, The African Queen, went out with a Bang!

Angelica Houston’s performance is breathtakingly authentic. Her accent is also perfect. I later learned that she attended a convent school in Galway which, beyond her innate acting ability, explains her authenticity. She convinced me to suspend my disbelief. Easily.

It is based on a story from Dubliners, by James Joyce.

It brilliantly captures the melancholy depths of the Irish soul.