The Revision of Irish Nationalism

Since the late eighteenth century Irish nationalism has been the only intellectual tradition running through modern Irish history. In recent years anti-nationalist 'revisionists' have rejected it, while die-hard traditionalists have repeated its frozen formulas. Nationalism clearly needs to be rethought and revised. In this book Desmond Fennell draws together and explains the 'new nationalism', finding a place in it for the diverse contributions of John Robb, Peter Barry, the New Ireland Forum, Maolsheachlainn Ó Caollai, Tom Barrington, Sinn Féin, Richard Kearney, Raymond Crotty and the Anglo-Irish Agreement. With nationalism sweeping the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, rampant in England, rising again in Scotland, seething in Tibet, Sri Lanka, the Basque Country ... this is a book whose relevance extends far beyond its immediate themes.