Reviews 'Based on extensive and thorough research, well organised and lucidly written, this book makes a major contribution to our understanding.' Professor S. J. Connolly, Queen’s University Belfast 'His book serves as an invaluable resource for historians interested in violence in historical societies, as well as a useful corrective to a flawed characterization of pre-Famine Ireland.' Journal of ... Read moreInterdisciplinary History, Volume 45, Number 3 'In straddling the family, the personal, the agrarian and the sectarian, he has successfully activated a much-needed and more inclusive discussion in a clear and confident manner. As I have indicated earlier, more than once, the author suggests further possible avenues of investigation. This book provides those who may wish to explore those avenues with an excellent starting point.' Reviews in History ‘…This is an important and compelling addition to the historiography of European violence. The book effectively combines quantitative and qualitative methods, carefully disaggregates violence into the main contexts in which it arose, and offers a strong comparative angle that enhances the values of this specific case study. In the clarity and thoughtfulness of his argumentation and writing, McMahon has set a very high standard for the history of violence.’ John Carter Wood, Crime, History & Societies Show Less