Unit 14: Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State, 1921-1966

Readings and Activities

• Read Moody, chapters 20-21, pages 262-287
• Read Titley, New State, 97-105
• Read Dunne, The Sash Me Father Wore (224-225), The Auld Orange Flute (225-226), Ballad to a Traditional Refrain (163-164), The Road to Darkley (158-162), Reply to Mr. Churchill (286-288), Levers of Power (291-295), Educational Revolution (295-297), Anseo (300-301).
• Read Arnold, pages 134-174.
• View the video The Quiet Man.
• Retrieve and read the following articles from UMD’s electronic database:
  Dowling, William C. John Ford’s Festive Comedy: Ireland Imagined
  in The Quiet Man. Eire-Ireland: A Journal of Irish Studies,
  Fall-Winter 2001, page 190-213.
  Jones, David Seth. Divisions within the Irish government over land-
  distribution policy, 1940-70. Eire-Ireland: A Journal of Irish Studies,
  Fall-Winter 2001, page 83-113.
  

Assignments

• Northern Ireland opted out of the Irish Free State in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. Why? What were the concerns of Northern Ireland regarding the Free State?
• What are the issues that divided Nortern Ireland and caused problems?
• What was the central issue of the Civil War (1922-23)?
• List two or three important milestones between the Civil War and the Republic of Ireland Act of 1949.
• Discuss the social and economic challenges in the 40s and 50s for the new republic.
• Read through the Arnold chapter on modern art. Choose one or two artists that are your favorite, and briefly describe their training and work.
• The first four readings in Dunne pertain to Northern Ireland, and are included to provide several different glimpses of life between 1921 and 1966. Which of these best a Northern Ireland issue or concern for you?
• The last four readings in Dunne pertain to the Republic of Ireland, and describe some of the challenges faced by the new Republic. Choose one and explain its relationship to the challenges of the fledging state.
• After viewing The Quiet Man and read
ing Dowling's article, what do you think? Is it a myth? Does the film perpetuate stereotypes? Why (not)? What other issues does Dowling raise? Do you agree or take exception to them? Why (not)?