{"product_id":"9780717151639","title":"John A. Costello The Reluctant Taoiseach: A Biography of John A. Costello","description":"\u003cp\u003eJohn A. Costello remains the most elusive of our former Taoisigh, despite his enormous contribution to Irish history. He declared the Republic, led the country's first ever coalition government, and faced the Mother and Child Crisis.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA surprise choice who battled against taking the job, Costello was the Reluctant Taoiseach.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorian and political correspondent David McCullagh charts the life of this fascinating man, using his personal archive of papers, as well as interviews with former colleagues, family and friends. McCullagh offers new insights into a political career which stretched from Independence to the end of the 1960s, including the Commonwealth Conferences of the 1920s, to the new Constitution of 1937, and Governments in the 1940s and 1950s.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePolitician, barrister, Attorney General, politician, family man –  \u003ci\u003eThe Reluctant Taoiseach\u003c\/i\u003e takes a fresh and revealing look at the life of a man at the centre of politics and law during one of the most turbulent periods in Irish history\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gill Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47121533305072,"sku":"9780717151639","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780717151639_p0.jpg?v=1763624322","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780717151639","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}