Hobsbawm and Ranger devised the word ‘invented tradition’ which means ‘Traditions which appear or claim to be old are often quite recent in origin and sometimes invented’ (Hobsbawm and Ranger, 1983 in Laurence, 2008, pp.176).
In Hobsbawm’s essay ‘Inventing traditions’, he is ‘developing an argument about how the past is used by societies’ (Laurence, 2008, p.155).
The Irish nationalists wanted an independent nation. In order to create credibility for their ideas, the Irish nationalists used ‘invented tradition’ by adapting different aspects of Ireland’s past. Hobsbawn and Ranger also mention how invented traditions ‘use history as a legitimator of action and cement of group cohesion’ (Hobsbawm and Ranger, 1983 in Laurence, 2008, pp.179). Irish nationalists were fastidious over the heritage of a building they refurbished. They focused on protecting buildings built by Irish builders and left English built buildings to decay. ‘the history of a nation, state or movement is not what has actually been preserved in popular memory, but what has been selected, written,
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They understood to do this they must develop continuity with the past by being careful with what they focus on. The cultural nationalists had a common goal ‘to establish that the peoples of Ireland had a rich and ancient culture which justified their sense of nationhood’ (Laurence, 2008, p.154).
Antiquarian interest, language and literacy revival was all carefully selected to create continuity with the past. George Petrie championed Irish nationhood ‘rested on its immemorial religion and culture’ (Laurence, 2008, p.161).
He believed that the English had destroyed Irish antiquity, he wanted to bring ancient Irish history to the forefront to develop a new Ireland, ‘revealing the wealth of Irelands history and culture would bring a new age of civilisation’ (Laurence, 2008,
Charles W. Chesnutt’s The Marrow of Tradition is full of strong, solid men that overcome the novel’s narrative focus. It is easy to claim someone like the educated Dr. Miller or the brave Josh Green as the hero of the story, but a more in-depth look places the steady Janet Miller as the driving force of the progressive ideas Chesnutt hopes to impart. Janet Miller, a woman whose mixed ethnicity symbolizes the hope for racial coexistence, and whose compassion becomes the deciding factor in whether to save the Carteret’s child, is the hero of The Marrow of Tradition.
Donald Kagan argues for the requisiteness of Western History by describing older cultures, and then explaining how these older cultures became a key influence in what our society has become today. He examines the ancient Greek, Christian, and English culture influences that helped form our country. Throughout his essay, his depth of historical research is quite evident. He uses historical research of past cultures to imply the necessity of knowing where we, as Americans, came from. This approach helps establish the author’s credibility, and makes his presentation more plausible.
The study of past events have been a common practice of mankind since the verbal telling of stories by our ancestors. William Cronon, in his article “Why the Past Matters,” asserts that the remembrance of the past “keeps us in place.” Our individual memories and experiences shape how we act in our daily lives. In addition to influencing us at an individual level, our collective history binds us together as a society. Without knowing where we have been or what we have experienced, it is nearly impossible to judge progress or know which courses of action to pursue. The goal of the historian is to analyze and explain past events, of which they rarely have firsthand memory of, and apply the gained knowledge to make connections with current and future events.
Gerald of Wales’ was most likely never in Ireland, and his writing is not an accurate portrayal of the Irish, but a chance to discuss hybridity and turn his readers against it while also the Irish.
In the essay Haunted America, Patricia Nelson Limerick ponders whether or not there is any benefit for society to have historical knowledge. Limerick contradicts herself numerous times in her opinion on the usefulness of history. She implies that there are many lessons that can be learned from history. However, Limerick is disappointed in the human race because it fails to learn from the mistakes of others. She therefore wonders, "What do we gain besides a revival and restoration of the misery?" (Limerick, 473). Based on Limerick's examination of people and history, one can conclude that objectively history is useless, however, theoretically, people would be much better off if they learned from the lessons that the past presents.
Temple, Elliot. "Why Is Tradition Important?" Fallible Ideas. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Dec. 2013. .
In order to legitimise a regime or cause, traditions may be constructed around historical or mythological events, people or symbols that reinforce the image required to focus people’s conception of the past. People can be encouraged to invent a cohesive view of their shared ‘traditions’ by what could be called cherry picking bits of history.
historically derived and selected) ideas and especially their attached values; Culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, and on the other as conditioning elements of further action.”
The years 1870 to 1890 in Ireland saw the fervent battle of Charles Stewart Parnell and his Home Rule party for home rule in Ireland. This consisted of Ireland having its own parliament to deal with internal affairs while still remaining under the control of Westminster in international affairs. It was not the desire for a full separation from Britain that would come later. However, by 1890, problems in Parnell’s personal life lead to a breakdown in communication with the Prime Minister and to a split in the Home Rule party. According to M E Collins, this left a void in Irish politics and life that was filled with a new cultural awareness and a questioning of Irish identity: ‘the new movements were different. They stressed the importance of Irish identity, Irish race and Irish culture’ (170 M E Collins, Ireland 1868 - 1966). It is at this point that Fanon’s ‘Wretched of the Earth’ becomes relevant to Irish history. In his chapter entitled ‘On National Consciousness’, Fanon stresses the colonised native fears of being assimilated totally into the culture of the coloniser, of being ‘swamped’ (169 Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth). These were the exact concerns that occupied the minds of the Irish people after the failure of home rule. They began to be anxious about what Collins terms ‘the distinguishing marks of Irishness’: ‘a culture and language that was different to Britain’s’.
Kiberd, Declan, Inventing Ireland: the Literature of the Modern Nation, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1996.
The contribution that Emyr Estyn Evans (E.E Evans) has made to Irish studies is not just realised in his works and academic achievements, it is also realised in the present and it will continue to be recognised in the future. As we all share in one way or another, the same proud feeling for our Irish heritage in all its forms from historical, geographically, orally and traditionally. The author will seek to discuss this in this essay; it is in large, partly attributed to the foundations laid and explorations undertaken by E. E Evans. Although a lot of Evans life and achievements were lived and realised in Ulster and Belfast his lasting legacy is felt as a whole on the island of Ireland. He believed in the nine counties of Ulster being just that rather than making aware or highlighting the divide that is North and South of the border. He once recalled how he saw the Irish heritage as a single theme with many variations (Hamlin, A, 1989).
This paper will investigate the culture of Ireland by taking a look at the five characteristics. Each characteristic will be allotted its own subsections. The first section will encompass the history to illuminate the connection of a country’s struggle and their learned culture. I will communicate the key aspects that connect an individual culture to the region of the world it inhabits in the second section. In the third section, the language and art of the land are discussed to draw lines to the symbols a culture is founded upon. The fourth section of the essay is dedicated to the characteristic of culture being made up of many components. This is illustrated by the ethnicity/racial, weather, terrain, and military breakdown of the island. The final section is commentary on the dynamic characteristic that interacting cultures learn, develop, and transform due to their shared contact and friction.
Though our history may bring back horrible memories of the ?grimmest dimensions of human nature? (Limerick 472), it is necessary to have a good historical background. History gives us the ability to improve future outputs, satisfy our unending need for knowledge, and understand how many policies and regulations have come to be. Without history mankind would be very primitive and ununified. Our complete molding of the world today is almost completely dependent on the fact that we study our history. Without history present day humans would be nothing more than cavemen.
McCann et al. Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1994, 95-109).
White, Robert W; White, Terry Falkenberg. “Repression and the Liberal State: The Case of Northern Ireland, 1969-1972”. The Journal of Conflict Resolution, Vol. 39, No. 2 (Jun.,