A Tale of Three Cities: Comparative Studies in Working-Class Life

The city of Belfast tends to be discussed in terms of its distinctiveness from the rest of Ireland, an industrial city in an agricultural country. However, when compared with another 'British' industrial port such as Bristol it is the similarities rather than the differences that are surprising. When these cities are compared with Dublin, the contrasts become even more painfully evident. This book seeks to explore these contrasting urban centres at the start of the twentieth century.

JOHN LYNCH worked for many years in the Civil Service and then returned to education in 1987 with an ILO studentship at Ruskin College, Oxford. During his two years there he studied for a Diploma in History. In 1989 he moved to Belfast and took a degree in Irish Studies at Queen's University. Subsequently he was employed as a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Economic and Social History, teaching mainly Irish and Japanese history. He was awarded a doctorate in 1996 and now teaches Irish Migration Studies.