Group 3's members include...Colin McHale, Joe Peracchio, Tyler Simendinger
Ireland’s nationalistic movements have their roots centuries ago and have continued to develop and change since their inception. Nationalism as a whole in Ireland has experienced its fair share of upticks and downticks throughout the past few hundred years so pinpointing an exact timeframe of a “Postnationalistic Ireland” would be disingenuous. Postnationalist Ireland could be that of the entire 19th century as certain groups attempted to prevent British influence in the country or it could depict pre-WWII Ireland, newly free from colonial shackles. Instead of looking at specific events to analyze how Ireland has changed, it would be more fitting to describe the opinions of Irish populace and their shifts in values and beliefs following each wave of nationalism.
While in the early 18th and 19th centuries all the Irish population appeared to work together for the common goal of emancipation from England, the reality was quite different. Much of the Irish population was rather divided on this particular issue and chose not to take a stance. Additionally, the first generations of English settlers into the Irish mainland were beginning to spread rapidly, changing the political dichotomies of many Irish communities. Many in Ireland now carried connections to the English mainland and did not think that sovereignty would bring them what they hoped for. Even so, there were still hundreds of thousands that protested for freedom from British rule and chose to stage small scale revolts with the support of other countries or small militia groups. Sadly, as the vast majority of these attacks were met with a staunch and violent response from the English, many families sought to maintain their current lives and protect their families, though the groundwork for future rebellions was staged. While those groups were practically ineffective in producing solid results for their cause, they were able to prove to the Irish citizens that such a cause was so righteous that men were willing to give up their lives.
Though there are other substantial developments in Ireland’s struggle for sovereignty, none are more important than the Easter Rising Uprising in 1916 which unfortunate conclusion shifted the balances in Ireland. Ireland, as a nation, had been becoming much more united during the late 19th century and the Easter Rising Uprising represented the apex of their push for sovereignty. Though independence wouldn’t officially be gained until 1937, it was clear that the work had been set in motion. The first few years after 1937 show the drastic changes that the Irish population and government had undergone. Although Ireland remained neutral throughout WWII, they subtly provided support to the Allies, including England in their dire time of need. The Irish were able to recognize a much greater cause, that of defeating the Axis powers, and set aside age old strife, showing their development as a people and nation, especially after such a strong nationalistic wave. Another huge wave of nationalism overtook Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s, as the country struggled with a push for Northern Ireland to rejoin Ireland. However in the years after, particularly the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Irish population’s values shift again, with a much heavier emphasis on individualism and personal greed during the Celtic Tiger Years.
Ireland’s frequent political and social changes following periods of nationalism are such an interesting issue to tackle. Throughout a few centuries, the Irish population undergoes significant changes, particularly the rise of a collectivist nation for that of an individualistic powerhouse that more or less exists as the version.
Postnationalist Ireland: Politics, Culture, Philosophy
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Postnationalist Ireland: Politics, Culture, Philosophy
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Literary Visions of Multicultural Ireland: the immigrant in contemporary Irish literature
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