Reviews
This book perpetuates a falsehood about the partition of Ireland, which many view as an act of gerrymandering. In the chapter titled "Deceptions and discoveries" the text states: "Finally, the British government agreed to the creation of the Irish Free State on 6 December 1922. The six predominantly Protestant northern counties were given a month from that date to decide whether they wished to remain part of the Irish Free State or rejoin the United Kingdom. A day later, the parliament of Northern Ireland requested that it be allowed to become part of the United Kingdom again." It is factually incorrect to state that the six counties were all predominantly Protestant as Fermanagh and Tyrone were not. Partition was not an elective decision for many people affected by it, and certainly not on a county by county basis as could be inferred from the quoted passage! Alister McGrath's choice of phraseology is deceptive and irresponsible.
