Brian Fleming takes a novel approach to the history of nineteenth-century Irish education within the framework of the campaign for Catholic Emancipation. He is not wrong that such an approach is both interesting and needed in Irish historiography, and the book does examine attempts at educational reform in Ireland from the perspective of the Catholic Church and some Catholic political leaders. However, Fleming's claim to provide a detailed account of educational reform is somewhat undermined by the book's chapters, which are subdivided into short sections covering a wide variety of topics related to the origins of sectarianism generally, political unrest and government restriction of religion and education. Fleming's ambitious approach to the subject of educational reform would benefit from further engagement with historiography and more extensive citations. Thorough sourcing would be particularly useful in places where Fleming makes interesting assertions about his subjects – such as the characterisation of Bishop James Doyle as quick-tempered (p. 70). His general comments about Doyle, in fact, leave the reader wanting to know more about the seemingly energetic bishop. Fleming's work in this book make clear that there is still much work to be done on the history of education in Ireland.