Evelyn Bolster (1925–2005)

An oft quoted work this book is still highly relevant and is an extremely well written historical analysis of the Knights of Columbanus in Ireland. The book is very well written and argued and analyses the history of the Knights from their foundation to the late 1970s, when the author went to press. The book is extremely interesting in highlighting individuals across political, business, commercial, legal and societal sectors who were members of the Order. It also highlights the various policy initiatives that the Knights embarked on at a national level across the decades with varying degrees of success. The book put a face on an organisation, and senior figures in it, who were perceived simply as a secret society and this is now the first warts and all history of the Order for readers to analyse. A bibliography and footnotes would have resulted in a higher rating from me.… (meer)