Synopsis
National symbols have long been highly contentious in Ireland, and they remain so today. While there have been a number of studies which have examined the role of symbols in the contemporary conflict in Northern Ireland, as yet there has been no detailed study of debates about national symbols in twentieth-century Ireland. This book fills that gap, outlining the historical background to the continuing controversy about national symbols in Ireland and shedding new light on the deep political divisions which have marked Irish society throughout this century. Our Own Devices focuses on the crucial period from 1922 to 1939 which saw the creation and consolidation of new governments in the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland. It also examines in detail the selection of official symbols of state by governments in both parts of Ireland, and public responses to those symbols. Having discussed the conflicts over symbols which took place in the early decades of the two states, the book concludes by bringing the story up-to-date and relating earlier controversies about national symbols to current debates about the role of symbols in conflict and peacemaking in Northern Ireland. This study is a pioneering work in this relatively new area of Irish history, and is based on extensive original research, using many sources which have not previously been cited in published works.
From Publishers Weekly
Morris, who teaches at the University of Sydney, considers the use of symbols in both Ireland and Northern Ireland and their impact, focusing particularly on the period 1922-1939. Symbols, Morris contends, have been extremely important in defining Irish identities and demarcating divisions. By the 19th century, Ireland had developed an array of symbols: the harp, the shamrock, the Celtic cross, the round tower, the wolfhound, the sunburst and Cathleen Ni Houlihan. The 1916 Rising was a watershed event: "The rising itself," notes Morris, "was more an exercise in symbolic or `demonstration' politics than a serious attempt to take political power." The new Irish Free State adopted the tricolor flag and the anthem ("The Soldier's Song") of the 1916 martyrs. In 1928, images on Free State coins became a divisive issue. The coin designers rejected traditional Irish symbols in favor of farm animals, while critics argued that the coins disrespected the cultural and religious traditions of Ireland. In Northern Ireland, Morris tells us, symbols, especially the Union Jack, were used to emphasize the connection with the United Kingdom, while Free State symbols stressed the opposite; thus, symbols on both sides, Morris concludes, made Irish unification less likely. Today, he argues, the island of Ireland needs to create new, cross-cultural symbols that respect the sensitivities of all traditions. Morris does an excellent job organizing his material and making his points. While probably too specialized for most readers, this should make a fine addition to academic collections.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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