Irishness

Irish national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity, as embodied in the shared and characteristic culture, languages and traditions,[1] of the Irish people.

Although the various dialects of Irish and Irish English are distinctive, people associate them all together as Irish with a shared identity, as well as a regional or local identity. Parts of Ireland retain a strong sense of regional identity, alongside the idea of a Irish national identity.

Northern Ireland is not a part of the Republic of Ireland, but it has a nationalist minority who would prefer to be part of a united Ireland.

History

Irish identity was suppressed by the British authorities following the merging of Ireland with Britain into the United Kingdom after the Act of Union in 1801. Nationalist rebellions against British rule in 1803, by Robert Emmet, 1848 (by the Young Irelanders) and 1865 and 1867 (by the Fenians) were followed by harsh reprisals by British forces.

The National Council, was formed in 1903, by Maud Gonne and Arthur Griffith, on the occasion of the visit of King Edward VII to Dublin. Its purpose was to lobby Dublin Corporation to refrain from presenting an address to the king. The motion to present an address was duly defeated, but the National Council remained in existence as a pressure group with the aim of increasing nationalist representation on local councils.[2] The first annual convention of the National Council on 28 November 1905 was notable for two things: the decision, by a majority vote (with Griffith dissenting), to open branches and organise on a national basis; and the presentation by Griffith of his 'Hungarian' policy, which was now called the Sinn Féin policy.[3] This meeting is usually taken as the date of the foundation of the Sinn Féin party.[4]

Bibliography
  • Davis, Richard P. (1974). Arthur Griffith and non-violent Sinn Féin. Dublin: Anvil Books.
  • Maye, Brian (1997). Arthur Griffith. Dublin: Griffith College Publications.

References
  1. "National identity | Definition of national identity in US English by Oxford Dictionaries".
  2. Davis, Richard P. (1974). Arthur Griffith and non-violent Sinn Féin. Dublin: Anvil Books. p. 21.
  3. Davis 1974, pp. 23–4.
  4. Maye 1997, p. 101.
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