Historian fails to make convincing case for Lynch’s line on Arms Crisis

FORMER Taoiseach Jack Lynch was, as this newspaper editorialised upon his death, “a charismatic leader, political icon and statesman”.

Dermot Keogh at UCC is also one of Ireland’s top historians. It is a pity then that Prof Keogh’s formidable new biography fails to convince in its treatment of Lynch’s handling of the Arms Crisis.

Lynch is rightly credited with saving the republic from adopting a disastrous northern policy that would have damaged its reputation and economy. If some others had been in charge, the result might, plausibly, have been a quasi civil — or even Anglo-Irish — war.