Alternative Ulsters: Conversations on Identity

Mark Carruthers

ISBN 10: 1909718904 / ISBN 13: 9781909718906

Published by Liberties Press Ltd, Ireland, 2015

About this Item

The province of Ulster - nine counties in total, six in Northern Ireland and three in the Republic of Ireland - is an ambiguous and complex patch of Irish soil. Known for the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Ulster Rugby Team, the Red Hand of Ulster, Monaghan-poet Patrick Kavanagh, among a host other things, Ulster represents an eclectic mix of national and cultural identities, religious ideologies, and political allegiances. The idea of a communal or conclusive Ulster identity seems impossible and questions such as, 'Are you an Ulsterman/woman? Are you Northern Irish? Are you Irish? What does it mean to be from Ulster? Are you proud to be from Ulster?', can result in more confusion than certainty. In Alternative Ulsters, BBC NI broadcaster Mark Carruthers has interviewed a host of well-known artists, writers, journalists, sportspeople, and political figures, all born in Ulster. Each interview begins with the question, 'Would you say you are an Ulsterman/woman?' and goes on to explore the complex idea of Ulster identity for those from a province characterized by fragmentation. Interviewees include Seamus Heaney, Ian Paisley, Anna Lo, Gerry Adams, Jennifer Johnston, James Nesbitt, and Mary Peters, among others. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Seller Inventory # GOR006556092

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Alternative Ulsters: Conversations on Identity
• Publisher: Liberties Press Ltd, Ireland
• Publication Date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1909718904
• ISBN 13: 9781909718906
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Very Good
• Weight: 662 grams

About this title

Synopsis

The province of Ulster – nine counties in total, six in Northern Ireland and three in the Republic of Ireland – is an ambiguous and complex patch of Irish soil. Known for the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the Ulster Rugby Team, the Red Hand of Ulster, Monaghan-poet Patrick Kavanagh, among a host other things, Ulster represents an eclectic mix of national and cultural identities, religious ideologies, and political allegiances. The idea of a communal or conclusive Ulster identity seems impossible and questions such as, ‘Are you an Ulsterman/woman? Are you Northern Irish? Are you Irish? What does it mean to be from Ulster? Are you proud to be from Ulster?’, can result in more confusion than certainty. In Alternative Ulsters, BBC NI broadcaster Mark Carruthers has interviewed a host of well-known artists, writers, journalists, sportspeople, and political figures, all born in Ulster. Each interview begins with the question, ‘Would you say you are an Ulsterman/woman?’ and goes on to explore the complex idea of Ulster identity for those from a province characterized by fragmentation. Interviewees include Seamus Heaney, Ian Paisley, Anna Lo, Gerry Adams, Jennifer Johnston, James Nesbitt, and Mary Peters, among others.

About the Author

MARK CARRUTHERS joined BBC Northern Ireland in 1989 and since then he has presented countless radio and television programs. He was nominated for a Royal Television Society award for his work in 2003, and in 2005 he and Donna Traynor lifted a prestigious Irish Film and Television Award for Best News Program. Mark is a keen advocate of the arts and is chairman of the board of the Lyric Theatre, Belfast and has served on many other theatre and cultural committees. He was awarded an OBE for his services to drama in Northern Ireland in the 2011 Queen's New Year Honours List. He is co-editor of Stepping Stones - The Arts in Ulster 1971-2001 (2001) and is a founder of Cultural Resolution which published a collection of essays Re-imagining Belfast: a manifesto for the arts (2003). Mark is married with three children and lives in south Belfast.