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History, it is said, is written for and by the winners. But in Ireland, a tragic failure also guarantees you a place in the national narrative. Parnell and the men of 1916 are obvious examples, writes Ronan O'Brien.

Others who laboured long and hard in Ireland's cause but ultimately fell short have been largely forgotten. Many of the Home Rulers, the last generation of nationalist leaders who refused to accept the division of Ireland have, in relative terms, been written out of history. For example, there has been no substantive biography of John Redmond, Ireland's national leader of 20 years, written since 1932.