Kevin Myers launches his first book about Irish involvement in the Great War

Former Irish Times journalist Kevin Myers, who spent decades writing about Irish involvement in the first World War, has launched his first book on the subject- Ireland’s Great War.

Myers wrote extensively about the war for decades in The Irish Times particularly through his Irishman's Diary columns.

Ireland's Great War was published by Lilliput Press. The publisher asked him to compile a selection of his columns and articles from The Irish Times, along with other material he has written about the war.

Myers acknowledged the transformation in attitudes towards the first World War in Ireland has been “extraordinary” in recent years.

“I didn’t think it could change the way it has changed,” he said.

“I always assumed that those of us who talked about the first World War would be in the minority and the rest would not embrace it, but Micheál Martin was at St Patrick’s Cathedral on Remembrance Sunday. It doesn’t make him less Fianna Fáil for doing that.”

Among those who attended Thursday’s launch in Trinity College Dublin was the British ambassador Dominick Chilcott and the former Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn.

The book was launched by the historian Thomas Pakenham whose speciality is the Boer War.

Mr Packenham praised Mr Myers for his “moral courage” in raising awareness of Irish involvement in the first World War when it was not popular to do so.