Ireland: The Union and Its AftermathOliver MacDonagh described the first edition of "Ireland: The Union and its Aftermath", published in 1968, as "a very small book with very large themes". The book rapidly reached the status of a classic and remains a thought-provoking survey of the history of Ireland from the Act of Union of 1800 until modern times. It has been unavailable for a long time. MacDonagh regarded the Act of Union as the most important single factor in shaping Ireland as a nation in the modern world. Although subordination to Britain had influenced Irish development before 1800, it took a rapidly different form under the Act of Union: "The experience of being assimilated by, and resisting assimilation into, a powerful and alien empire - perhaps the master-culture of the 19th century - was truly traumatic." For the second edition, published in 1977, which is reprinted here with a new introduction by W. J. Mc Cormack, MacDonagh included a chapter on the period 1968-73, taking account of the early years of the troubles in Northern Ireland. |
Contents
The Siamese Twins | 26 |
Disaffection | 51 |
The New Nationalism | 76 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
accepted Act of Union administration already appear areas arms attempt authority Britain British Catholic civil common Conservative constitutional counties course decades direction Dublin early economic effect elements English established fact Famine final followed force Free hand Home Rule hope immediately important increase independence industrial interests involved Ireland Irish issue land later least less Liberal London majority mass matter means merely Moreover movement nationalist natural never nineteenth century Northern objective once opposition organisation original parliament parliamentary Parnell party perhaps political position practically present pressure produce Protestant proved question Redmond reform remained represented Republic republican resistance Rising secure seemed sense short significant Sinn Féin social society stage struggle tenant treaty turn Ulster ultimately Unionist United University Valera