Housing a Nation : Irish land, power and politics in six generations

A landmark history of Irish housing - where land meets power, politics meets identity, and every home tells a deeper story.

Housing a Nation is a sweeping history of Irish housing - not just as architecture or policy, but as a battleground for identity, power and belonging. Through in-depth exploration of the key milestones in 300 years of housing history, this richly illustrated book traces how land and shelter have shaped Ireland's political movements, cultural imagination and social divides. From the Wide Streets Commission to the Mahon Tribunal, from labourers' cottages to Ballymun's high-rises, it reveals how housing reflects deeper struggles over class, nationalism and economic ideology. It explores the rise and fall of social housing, the impact of neoliberalism and financialisation, and the persistent shadow of homelessness and exclusion. Blending archival material with social commentary and lived experience, Housing a Nation shows how homes are more than places to live - they are symbols of who we are, what we value and how we resist. Essential reading for anyone interested in Irish history, social justice, and the forces that shape the spaces we call home.