Chapter 2: ‘Irish’ Identity and the Nation State

In order to place theory within the spatio-temporal context of Irish society, this chapter leads on by delving into how Irishness has been imagined and also to describes the historical construction of ‘Irish’ national identity. Such continuous re-constructions, from historical times to present-day circumstances, highlight the interplay between the nation state and identity formation. This is provided as a backdrop or prequel to contextualize temporal changes in Irish citizenship acquisition. Such contextualization is measured in a theoretical manner.

Thus, within this chapter, it is theorized that more static definitions of identity, as have been challenged in the previous chapter, are also in conflict with the natural progression of any labile contemporary society. Consequently, the ability to freely self-identify is dependent on mechanisms that counter the subjugation of a given minority. If such arrangements are not in place, inequitable power relations occur. Such mechanisms are seen as crucial to the ideological framework of any egalitarian social democracy.