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The most vital force in architecture internationally in the 20th century was the Modern Movement. Born of both newly developing structural techniques and a desire to break from the historic styles of the past, the Modern Movement stood out as encapsulating the essential spirit and energy of modern times. the effects of this international revolution in architectural design and aesthetics can be seen in Ireland from the 1920s onwards, although some of the seeds of change were evident earlier.

This new book recounts in detail the formative period of modern architecture in Ireland during the years of the Irish Free State, from its founding in 1922 until the declaration of a republic in 1949. During this period, the various modernisation programmes of the fledgling state, from electrification to transportation and health provision, as well as a wide range of other functions, found a ready expression in the architectural forms of the Modern Movement.

Profusely illustrated using rare archival photographs, original architectural drawings, and contemporary sources in the architectural press from Ireland and beyond, this book reveals a rich seam of buildings of unsuspected quality and depth, some of which attracted international acclaim in their time. Such iconic monuments of Irish Modernism as the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme, the Church of the Christ the King in Cork, Dublin Airport, the Irish Pavilion at the New York World's Fair, and Busaras in Dublin, are all examined in detail while a host of other notable buildings and projects are recounted too, from houses and flats, to hospitals, churches, schools and factories, many published for the first time since they were built or proposed.