I find truth in the observation that from the 1960’s onwards the scholars and thinkers of Ireland, and those unfortunate enough to unwittingly consume their opinions, elevated the external and the imported over the domestic and native.

Persuaded by the latter-day judgements that repudiated the Ireland of yesteryear as a sterile, Catholic, and Gaelic failure, we allowed ourselves to be convinced that ideas such as nationhood, national identity and the national soul were insular, narrow, and racist conceptions.

Beguiled to think that we as a nation we were incapable of self-sustainability, we went from one extreme to another. From an uncultivated and insular Ireland to a culturally empty short-sighted Ireland which continues to barter resources and sovereignty for a willful dependency.

Unconcerned by the struggles of our forebears, a condescending view has arisen among our people, both young and old, which mocks and dismisses the achievement of independence and the idea of nationhood as obstacles to the creation of a ‘prosperous’ Ireland built on trading away our sovereignty.

It is an Ireland which is becoming a derivative blur caught between the United States and Britain, and driven by money alone. Our fortunes rely on external phenomena as opposed to the energies of our own self-confident philosophy. A self-serving European Union and conditionally faithful international corporations are held in impeachable idolisation.

Politicians appear more like middle-ranking executives of a minor company, emotionally neutral and grey, attempting to sell uninteresting products or communicate dull policy ideas filled with predictable terminologies.

Our sense of Ireland has gone astray. Citizens speak of their own interests phrased in sanctimonious words expressing personal complaints or victimhood. The language of patriotism is seldom seen. To speak of nationalism or nation-states is near taboo and always seen as exalting one’s nation above all else in a pernicious manner, as opposed to just simply cherishing it and wanting it to be true to itself.

Then we are made remember the insular Ireland of yesteryear by those who mischaracterise the view of Irish nationhood articulated many years ago by a man now referred to as a proto-fascist by the same people – Pádraig Mac Piarais. This view of Irish nationhood was not restricted to Gaelic Ireland, though it was the cornerstone. It did not exclude anyone who wished to bear it allegiance. It desired to achieve and maintain Irish sovereignty. It was an ‘ancient spiritual tradition.’

That is the Ireland we should return to instead of smothering the idea of Irish nationhood and independence in irony, scorn, and satire. A sovereign people endowed with a long history and a sense of self that is not the sum of the empty postmodern influences held by its population, but founded in a coherent identity that is of the Gael and the Gall.

However, if you are not convinced, I would implore you to consider the necessity of the nation-state from the following pragmatic perspective:

I am conscious of the confutations put forward against the role of the nation-state in this age of globalisation. It is seen as a barrier to the movement of people, trade and the development of the global marketplace. Or as a fading and ‘exclusionary’ social construct based on contrived reasoning. However, at least in my opinion, a state with a single cultural idiom can operate more effectively than other state-models.

I believe this is so because there would be no linguistic or cultural barriers within the state creating difficulties of communication or prohibiting interaction on account of the grievances which naturally arise between human communities.

Moreover, cultural uniformity hinders, or stops outright, regional secessionist movements from taking hold and undermining the integrity of the state on account of such a shared cultural idiom. Naturally this is all good for the economy as it reduces the costs which cultural and linguistic disunity would create.

A unified and stable state is required for prosperity and by extension a high quality of life. Domestic and foreign companies require the protection which stable states provide, as well as secure property rights, a quality national education system to create an educated and skilled workforce, infrastructure for the transportation of goods, telecommunications, energy and, indeed, management training.

In conclusion, the nation-state model, and that alone, can achieve this stability.

Posted by Silas Ó Gusáin

10 Comments

  1. Alt an-mhaith é seo. Refreshing read that flies in the face of groupthink.

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    1. Good one, Finbarr.

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    2. Silas Ó Gusáin 13/02/2019 at 3:08 pm

      Go raibh maith agat, a Bhrolchánaigh. B’éigean dom é a rá nó phléascfainn!

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      1. Tuigim go maith mothúchain mar é!

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  2. Páid Ó Donnchú 13/02/2019 at 4:14 pm

    Cá bhfuil an Ghaeilge sa n alt seo? No, go deimhin, an náisiúin seo? Má tá “cultural uniformity” le bheith ann, an é cultúr na Gael, nó cultúr na Gall a mbeidh an lámh in uachtar, mar ní mar a chéile iad.

    Ní mhór smaoineamh domhain a dhéanamh ar na ceisteanna seo.

    Molaim saothar Dheasún Fennell.

    Ach mar a dúirt an té os mo chíonn, fáilte roimh náisiúinachas gan náire, bhí tú imithe le fada an lá.

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    1. Silas Ó Gusáin 13/02/2019 at 6:31 pm

      Cheap mé go raibh sé soiléir ó na focail a bhain mé úsáid as go bhfuil an Gaeilge fite fuaite leis an náisiúin seo, a Pháid. Nuair a chlóscríobhaim ‘Gael’ ciallaím na Gaeil! Grúpa eitneach ‘s teanga is ea iad.

      Ní Gael thú muna bhfuil teanga ‘s cultúr na nGael agat (agus ní leor fuil amháin, ach spiorad nó meanma chomh maith).

      Sa mullach ar sin, ní náisiún ceart í Éire gan Ghaeilge. Má leanfaidh muid ar aghaidh mar atá muid faoi láthair, beidh muid ina chruth doiléir díorthach idir Meiriceá ‘s Sasana (d’fhéadfaí a rá go bhfuil muid sa gcaoi sin cheana féin).

      Ar ndóigh, caithfidh an lámh in uachtar a bheith ag cultúr ‘s teanga na nGael. Áfach, ba cheart meas a bheith againn ar thorthaí cultúrtha na hAngla-Éireannaigh /na nGall.

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      1. Osgur Ó Ciardha 20/02/2019 at 7:25 pm

        “ní leor fuil amháin”

        So, tá gá le ‘fuil Gaelach’, bhfuil?

        Déan cur síos ar sin dom led’ thoil.

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        1. Silas Ó Gusáin 23/02/2019 at 12:32 am

          Gabh mo leithscéal ó chroí, a Osguir. Ní fhaca mé do theachtaireacht go dtí inniu. Sula gcuirim tús le m’fhreagra, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a chur in iúl duit. Taitníonn an obair a rinne tú leis an bPop up Gaeltacht go mór liom. Bail ó Dhia ort!

          Chun freagra a tabhairt duit, ní gá do Ghael ‘fuil Ghaelach’ a bheith acu. Sin é atá i gceist agam le ‘traidisiún ársa spioradálta’. Ní choinníonn náisiúntacht Éireannach amach éinne a dteastaíonn uathu dílseacht a tabhairt di. De réir mo bharúlsa, más mian le duine éigin an dílseacht sin a thabhairt – agus má tá meanma Ghaelach ‘s Gaeilge acu – is Gael iad, is cuma liom cén ‘cine’ lena mbaineann siad nó cén áit a bhfuil siad as.

          Chun aghaidh a thabhairt ar fhuil, de réir mo thuisceana is grúpa eitneach ‘s teanga iad na Gaeil. Más buan mo chuimhne, is iad na tréithe ag baint le heithneachas ná cultúr, ealaín, stair, teanga, miotaseolaíocht, sinsearacht ‘s deasghnátha, gan ach dornán a luadh. Tá náisiún stairiúil Éireannach ann atá bunaithe ar chuid mór de na tréithe seo. Is amhlaidh a luaigh mé fuil.

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  3. There is one awful Dynamic, fueling the current crisis of identity in Europe, Actually the whole West. ..Globalist, One World Governance vs. Individual National sovereignty. Un-Fortunately, Ireland is being swallowed up in this conflict. Cowardice and White Guilt ‘Group-Think are going a long way to ensure your Beautiful/Iconic Nation’s demise. Any time anyone cowers , when being called a Racist, if they argue that the Irish are being Race-Replaced…they are hurrying the process along. Very Sad…..Very Sad…. Good to hear that there are some Patriots willing to speak out

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