Thomas Drew and the Making of Victorian Belfast

Sean Farrell is Professor of History at Northern Illinois University. His research has focused on the links between violence and the formation of communal identities in modern Ulster. He has written and edited several books, most recently The Irish in Illinois, which he coauthored with Mathieu Billings.

A fine contribution to our understanding of the dynamics of sectarian conflict in Victorian Ireland.-- "S.J. Connolly, Canadian Journal of Irish Studies" A thought-provoking and readable book that succeeds in relating Drew in a meaningful way to the complexity and variety of life in mid nineteenth-century Belfast.-- "Andrew R. Holmes, Irish Historical Studies" An excellent book, based on extensive primary research and providing a nuanced, balanced portrayal of Drew, his evangelical ministry, and the Belfast Protestant working classes.-- "Stewart J. Brown, Journal of Religious History" An important and original work on the social, religious, and political history of Belfast. It's accessibly written and well-researched, offering a vivid picture of the city at a crucial point in its development by examining the career of one of its most famous 'political parsons.'-- "Mark Doyle, author of Communal Violence in the British Empire: Disturbing the Pax" An impressive and original study that offers a nuanced and sophisticated portrait of an important figure in the religious and social life of mid nineteenth-century Belfast.-- "Jonathan Jeffrey Wright, author of Crime and Punishment in Nineteenth-century Belfast: The Story of John Linn"