Description
Book SynopsisThe definitive inside account of the 2016-20 coalition government.
Cabinet minister Shane Ross reveals the bitter internal battles fought with the old Blueshirts, the crises when the coalition came close to collapse and the sometimes fraught personal relationships between the fifteen figures who made up the last government.
He recounts how a group of Independents risked everything to form a government that was expected to last for only months but which ran for more than four years, under two Taoisigh with utterly different styles. With great humour and charm, Ross unveils the skulduggery, the secret deals, the drama of how Irish football was rescued and Olympic chief Pat Hickey toppled, showing us what really happens behind the closed doors of Ireland's government.
Trade ReviewIn the small anecdotes and pen pictures, he achieves what a most skilled diarist should - subtle illustration of the
momentous through the seemingly trivial. And, of course, it is all highly entertaining...As Irish political memoirs go, Ross sets a new high bar here.
* Irish Mail on Sunday *
[
E]ntertaining, honest and truly reflective. Shane Ross has shone a light on many dusty corners of Irish political life, and throughout the pages his humour, his acceptance and his acumen shine through. -- Mary O'Rourke * Galway Advertiser *
In his
racy and entertaining memoir...Ross blasts open the door into the inner workings of Cabinet * Irish Examiner *
...a
breezy and engaging account of his four years at the Cabinet table. It covers his failures, successes and multiple slip-ups, and provides laugh-out-loud moments for any reader. -- David Murphy * RTE Culture *
In Bed With The Blueshirts may not enhance your confidence in Irish politics, but it will lighten the gloom of the pandemic. -- Pat Rabbitte * Sunday Business Post *
This is a well-written book that moves along at a good pace. It is a personal memoir that does not seek to vilify those who opposed Ross, nor to claim infallibility for his own views. He may portray himself as the outsider, but ultimately he shows a great liking for his colleagues of all hues. -- Richard Bruton * Irish Independent *
This is a book worth reading...well written and entertaining * The Phoenix *
He has written
one of the best Irish political memoirs, bulging with casually shared nuggets and indiscretions, chiefly but not exclusively his own. * Village magazine *
Table of Contents1: A Big Idea Is Born 2: The Blueshirts Play Hardball 3: A Cabinet at War 4: Pat Hickey's Olympic Downfall 5: Gaffes Galore 6: Pork Barrel Politics 7: Drink Drivers Divide the Dáil 8: Judges Defend Four Courts Fortress 9: Mandarins Rule, OK? 10: Irish Football Pulls Back from the Brink 11: The Covid Cabinet: A Big Win for Leo
