Stephen Kelly Livres

The one-time terracing that could 'suck the ball into the net' - in Bill Shankly's immortal phrase - still inspires and intimidates today.

'Football is not just a matter of life and death: it's much more important than that' - Bill ShanklyBill Shankly was without doubt among the greatest football managers of the post-war era and his life story is an inspiring read for anyone interested in the sport.

223 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : 24 cm

German bombers are arriving daily, seeking to decimate England. But in a rural Hampshire village, things have remained fairly quiet—until an elderly loner, Will Blackwell, is brutally murdered. The method of his killing bears the hallmarks of the traditional vanquishing of a witch, and indeed, local legend claims that as a boy, Blackwell encountered a ghostly black dog sent from the devil, who struck a bargain for Blackwell’s soul.Not long after the murder, a young woman who is carrying the illegitimate child of a fighter pilot also is violently killed; then a local drunkard ends up in an abandoned mill with the back of his head bashed in. As the Germans continue their relentless attack, Detective Inspector Thomas Lamb rushes to solve the crimes. Do the killer’s motivations lie in the murky regions of the occult?

Arriving in the rural community of Marbury to investigate a gruesome murder, Inspector Lamb discovers that the victim's mysterious past is linked to the history of Elton House, a once-grand estate transformed into a hospital for "shell-shocked" officers sent back from the front lines.

The book delves into the tumultuous career of Charles Haughey, a pivotal figure in Irish politics, whose ambitions were significantly shaped by the Northern Ireland conflict. It explores his shifting stance on the IRA, from a hardline approach to allegations of funding arms for Republicans, which nearly ended his career. Utilizing newly declassified documents, Stephen Kelly examines Haughey's complex relationships, particularly with Margaret Thatcher, and his controversial role in the peace process, revealing the intricate motives behind his political actions.

Chronicling a man's nearly fifty-year struggle with abuse, failed marriages, bullying, and addiction, the narrative emphasizes resilience and spiritual reconnection. Rather than dwelling on despair, he embarks on a transformative journey towards healing and peace through faith. As his story unfolds, readers are drawn into his emotional turmoil and ultimate triumph, creating a deeply moving experience that resonates with hope and redemption.

Exploring the intersection of education and governance, this book examines how governments utilize literacy as a tool to manage and secure 'dangerous' populations. It highlights various strategies employed by states to ensure national and social stability, as well as economic and geopolitical security. By analyzing different approaches to literacy and education, the work sheds light on the broader implications of governmentalities in shaping societal dynamics and power relations.

The first woman elected to lead a major Western power and the longest serving British prime minister for 150 years, Margaret Thatcher is arguably one the most dominant and divisive forces in 20th-century British politics. Yet there has been no overarching exploration of the development of Thatcher's views towards Northern Ireland from her appointment as Conservative Party leader in 1975 until her forced retirement in 1990. In this original and much-needed study, Stephen Kelly rectifies this.From Thatcher's 'no surrender' attitude to the Republican hunger strikes to her nurturing role in the early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process, Kelly traces the evolutionary and sometimes contradictory nature of Thatcher's approach to Northern Ireland. In doing so, this book reflects afresh on the political relationship between Britain and Ireland in the late-20th century.An engaging and nuanced analysis of previously neglected archival and reported sources, Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative Party and the Northern Ireland Conflict, 1975-1990 is a vital resource for those interested in Thatcherism, Anglo-Irish relations, and 20th-century British political history more broadly.