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Directions in historiography: History and Irish nationalism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2015

Richard English|*
Affiliation:
Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews

Extract

Nationalism remains arguably the most important framework within which to explore, explain and understand modern Irish history. The object of this article is, first, to reflect on some impressive recent scholarship on the Irish nationalist past and, second, to propose a related set of suggestions intended to deepen and enrich our approach to the subject. It therefore offers both a respectful assessment of how we have thought about history and Irish nationalism, and also an agenda-conscious programme regarding how we should do so in future.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 2011

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References

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53 The central argument of his excellent Frank Wright Memorial Lecture at Queen’s University, Belfast, on 18 February 2010.

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81 I am grateful to Professor Geoffrey Roberts of the School of History at University College, Cork, for inviting me to deliver in 2010 the first Diarmuid Whelan Memorial Lecture, at which I set out some of the arguments now published in this article. Comments and questions from Professor Roberts and the audience at that lecture, as well as the insight ful suggestions of the editors of I.H.S., have greatly helped to improve the piece.