Irish Nationalism

Irish Nationalism: The Fight for Self-Government Since the late twentieth century, Ireland has been subject to varying types of English rule. There has been much debate on the degree of English rule in Ireland, but the call for a united Ireland was very popular among many Irishmen. Nationalistic feelings in Ireland saw a steady growth in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century with many different movements looking to achieve Irish self-government. These nationalistic movements can be categorized into three groups: constitutional, revolutionary, and cultural nationalism.Whether by politics, violence, or education, Irish nationalistic groups each had their own ideas on how to achieve independence from English rule. Each group had its strengths, as well as its weaknesses that contributed to the overall success of the nationalistic movements. Constitutional nationalism, which encompassed nationalism through political forces, mainly involved the vision of Home Rule. Home Rule was the idea of having an Irish parliament to control domestic matters while Britain controlled external Irish affairs. The face for the Home Rule movement was Charles Stewart Parnell, a political leader and Irish landlord.Parnell is most commonly known as the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party. He turned the Home Rule movement into a major political force dominating legislation, and proving it to be a vast encompassing party by gaining the widest possible support. Parnell was deemed the â€Å"Uncrowned King of Ireland†, possessing enormous political skills leading him to be extremely successful in the field of practical politics. However, political scandals led his leadership to be called into question and put his whole political career on the line.Charles Parnell’s skills led him to many accomplishments in politics. Parnell was elected president of the Irish National Land League in 1879 which campaigned for land reform, including the reduction of tenants ' rents during a time of economic disaster. He not only raised an enormous amount of funding for famine relief during a trip to America, but Parnell also used his position as president to gain the support of tenant farmers in his fight for Home Rule. The support that came from the Land Movement and its mass appeal aided Parnell in bringing the Home Rule party under the wing of the movement.One of Parnell’s greatest accomplishments was the conversion of William Gladstone and the Liberals to Home Rule. During the election of 1885 the Conservative party used Parnell in order to gain an electoral advantage. This tactic succeeded giving them the majority of seats in Parliament and ultimately leading to the Liberals under Gladstone coming to power with Home Rule party. Although Parnell enjoyed great success as the leader of the Home Rule party and as a notable force in the fight for domestic Irish self-government, his weaknesses limited the extent to which his political skills coul d carry him.Parnell accomplished a great amount in the fight for Home Rule, but ultimately he failed to achieve it. The reason he was unsuccessful was due to his greatest weakness, the scandal with Katherine O’Shea. During the time Parnell was elected leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party he began a relationship with Katherine O’Shea, wife of Captain William O’Shea. His fall from power occurred when Captain O’Shea filed for a divorce naming Parnell as the guilty party. â€Å"It was therefore Captain O’Shea and the divorce case which brought down Parnell†[1].Although many leading politicians had known about Parnell and O’Shea’s affair for some time, it was when Parnell did not challenge Captain O’Shea’s allegations that shocked the public. This caused Parnell to be revealed as an adulterer and discredited him as a leader. Gladstone was forced to distance himself from Parnell due to the fact that the Liberals had no chance of winning the next election with ties to Parnell. Without the support of Gladstone, Home Rule was not a possibility. In the end, Parnell’s strengths were his greatest weaknesses.His pride and iron will kept him from contesting Captain O’Shea’s allegations allowing O’Shea’s side of the story to go unchallenged and ultimately leading to Parnell's fall from power. Constitutional nationalists such as Charles Parnell used politics in pursuing Irish self-government. The strength of this method is that it delivers concrete results. Although Parnell was not able to achieve Home Rule himself he was able to gain support for the party, leading the way for John Redmond to get the third Home Rule Bill passed by the House of Commons.Before this time, no success of this magnitude had ever been achieved in the fight for Irish independence. The weakness of constitutional nationalism is that it is a time consuming method. It took two initial Home Rule Bil ls to be rejected, the first of which being introduced in 1886, until the third was passed in 1914. Parnell dedicated his political career to the pursuit of Home Rule and was not able to see it passed before his death. Even when the third Home Rule Bill was passed, the process of it becoming a law was suspended pending the end of World War I.Constitutional nationalism is successful in that it delivers results in the fight for Irish self-government; however, the process is long and grueling. Revolutionary nationalism was a more forceful, rebellious method in pursuing Irish self-government. Revolutionary nationalists were not afraid to use violence including assassinations, bombings, and even uprisings. The most popular uprising in the struggle for Irish independence was the Easter Rising, which took place shortly after Britain’s entrance into World War I. The main group involved in this revolutionary nationalistic movement was the Irish Republican Brotherhood.The Irish Republi can Brotherhood, or I. R. B. , devised a rebellion to overthrow Britain’s government in Dublin following the time tested dictum that England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity. While Britain had surely forgotten about Ireland and Home Rule, focusing its attention mainly on the war, the I. R. B. used it as an opportunity to rebel. Patrick Pearse, a key leader in the rising, chose Easter for the uprising for its biblical connotations of sacrifice and resurrection; he saw the rising as a ‘blood sacrifice’.The rebels hoped to take control of Dublin as well as initiate riots in order to start a revolt, in turn removing English rule. However, the rising was a military disaster. On top of many of the rebel’s plans being disrupted by the British, poor organization also led to an unsuccessful rebellion. Upon capture many of the rebels were condemned to execution including James Connolly, who was carried to a firing squad tied to a chair due to an i njury sustained during the rising.The nature of these executions led to anger among many Irishmen and turned the rebels into martyrs. The rising led to control of Irish politics shifting from the Irish Nationalist Party to the recently I. R. B. infiltrated Sinn Fein. This shift led the way for constitutional nationalists to push for a challenge to Britain’s control of Ireland. Revolutionary nationalists took a more direct approach in the fight for Irish self-government. Rebellions, such as the Easter Rising, sought to overthrow government in a revolution without political involvement.This approach is strong in that it is has been successful in the past, as seen by the American and French revolutionary wars. A revolutionary approach can shift power almost instantly rather than going through years of political negotiations. However, when unsuccessful, revolutions end in meaningless bloodshed. The Easter Rising at first seemed to be a failure, resulting in the deaths of many Iri shmen for no reason. Instead, Britain’s reaction resulted in the rebels becoming martyrs, and the British losing the hearts of the Irish people.Although the Easter Rising resulted in the deaths of many Irishmen, it also opened the door for constitutional nationalists to take control of parliament in the 1918 general election and for revolutionary nationalists to initiate the Anglo-Irish war. While constitutional nationalists focused on politics and revolutionary nationalists focused on rebellions, cultural nationalists focused on the revival of Gaelic culture and language. Just as constitutional and revolutionary nationalism was important in the fight for Irish self-government, so was cultural nationalism.It helped to foster a spirit of earnest nationality, invoking feelings of patriotism in young Irishmen. The Gaelic Athletic Association was established to do just this. Founded in 1884, the Gaelic Athletic Association aimed to establish an independent Irish organization dedi cated to promoting athletics as well as preserving Irish nationalism. The Gaelic Athletics Association not only encouraged education about Gaelic language and culture, but was also formed as an anti-British group closely associated with the Irish nationalistic cause.This association caused the GAA to get caught up in the troubled politics of the early twentieth century. In 1920 British soldiers interrupted a football match in Dublin firing shots into the crowd and onto the field killing fourteen people. This was a response to political violence that had occurred in Dublin earlier that day. This event came to be known as Bloody Sunday. However, the Gaelic Athletics Association was a non-violent one that was subject to the repercussions of being associated the nationalistic cause. The GAA is claimed to have been founded by the I. R.B. with the goal of getting Irish youth involved with an organization in order to form a physical power capable of pressuring the Home Rule party of the fu ture. Although the association had no violent or political intentions, it provided the depth that the Home Rule party needed in order to secure an independent, self-governing Ireland. Cultural nationalists were strong in that they united Irishmen in the fight for Irish nationalism. Cultural nationalists promoted camaraderie through athletics and focused on a revival of nationalistic feelings as well as Gaelic culture.They provided a unity of Irish people that was necessary to the success of a self-governing Ireland. However, cultural nationalists did not provide any concrete results in the pursuit of Irish independence. They brought together the Irish people but only to the extent that they were prepared to join a constitutional or revolutionary force. Nationalistic feelings were high in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Many nationalistic movements that existed sought to set up Irish self-government in one form or another.These movements were constitutional, revoluti onary, or cultural nationalistic groups. Each group possessed both strengths and weaknesses. Constitutional nationalists succeeded in political battles relating to domestic rule. However, their means were often time consuming and presented results that were not very certain. Revolutionary nationalists, on the other hand, were able to change the tides of the Anglo-Irish governmental struggle almost instantly. The bloodbath that resulted in their physical force, however, was the weakness of their methods.Finally, cultural nationalists were able to unite Irishmen in the fight for self-government promoting nationalistic feelings. Unfortunately, they provided no real means of progressing Irish nationalism in the fight for self-government. Constitutional nationalism had the most impact with the Home Rule party as well as the Dail Eireann (Assembly of Ireland) which helped to establish a treaty following the Anglo-Irish war in order to establish the Irish Free State. However, without the p hysical presence to back up the political force, Irish self-government would not have been possible.As Eamon de Valera stated, the way to Irish independence was â€Å"first battling England with votes, and if that failed, with rifles. †[2] All in all, each form of Irish nationalism contributed in some way to lead Ireland into a self-governing country. Bibliography [1] â€Å"PARNELL AND KITTY O'SHEA. † PARNELL AND KITTY O'SHEA. Web. 05 May 2012. . [2] â€Å"Troubled Ireland – Anglo-Irish War. † Troubled Ireland – Anglo-Irish War. Web. 05 May 2012. . [3] Hachey, Thomas E and McCaffrey, Lawrence J. The Irish Experience Since 1800: A Concise History. Armonk, N. Y: M. E. Sharpe, 2010. Print. ———————– [1] [1] [2] [2]

Dangerous Sports Essay

In recent years we have seen a considerable rise in dangerous or extreme sports. This essay shall discuss some of the main reasons why people engage in such sports and suggest ways in which some risks involved in such sports can be reduced. The main reason why people go for dangerous sports is that they get the thrill out of them. They like taking risks. They like to challenge their abilities and potentials. They feel a sense of satisfaction when they come face to face with fears while bungee jumping, rock climbing and so on. In addition, going through a dangerous experience gives them courage and confidence to face the hurdles of their daily life. Another reason for pursuing such sports is that there is a lot of fame and money involved in them. They get attention by doing stunts on motorcycles and jumping from tall buildings. They make headlines in newspapers and TV News Channels. They feel great when their name comes in the Guinness Book of World Records. Once they get famous they get a lot of money also. For instance, many businesses hire them to endorse their products. They also get jobs on the basis of such skills. Many steps can be taken to reduce the risks are that involved. Firstly, these sports should be done under strict supervision. All safety precautions should be taken. Such sports should be performed after sufficient training and under supervision of adults. Sport companies which cater to such sports should require a license for providing such training. Some people suggest banning some sports. However, I do not believe that banning is a good solution. We all know that forbidden fruits taste sweeter and people will do such sports in hiding which would increase the risks involved. To put it in a nutshell, I pen down saying that, people do such sports for fun, for money and for fame. However, such sports should be performed after sufficient training from licensed companies and under some supervision.

Analysing Slyvia Plath’s “Mushroom” Poem Essay

The poem â€Å"Mushroom† discusses the persistent struggle as the central theme. The lines that depicts the struggle are â€Å"our hammers, our rams, earless and eyeless, perfectly voiceless† as personified by the mushrooms. Plath’s made use of allusions in the form of the last stanza â€Å"our foot’s in the door† The structure of the poem has 23 lines, with nursery rhyme quality along with many repetitions of phrasing and sounds to depict fertility. Plath used the style of poem for younger children. The persona of the poem is the author herself who had two failed suicidal attempts and re-evaluated by the persona in the poem either from a perspective of a rebellious present. The literary devices used in the poem are personification, metaphor and allusion. Plath personified mushrooms by giving them human characteristics, found in the lines of â€Å"earless and eyeless, perfectly voiceless†. The author also used metaphor of the mushrooms as tables, together with their meekness. The subject mushrooms, as a metaphor for people who are often underestimated people. The poem also showed the allusion of found in the last line â€Å"our foot’s in the door† based o the Beatitude â€Å"the meek shall inherit the earth. † It conveys the dilemma of the oppressed (or mushroom) wherein personification of the poor and voiceless are found as mushrooms. The overall meaning of the poem for contemporary reading audience is to know how to have a deep desire to gain power and control regardless of how oppressed, struggling these people are. Works Cited Plath, Sylvia, The Journals of Sylvia Plath, edited Karen V. Kukil, Faber and Faber, London, 2000.

The role of educators to promote human rights and social justice Essay

The role of educators to promote human rights and social justice - Essay Example Therefore, this will mean that the social justice activists will articulate their mission as they mention human rights. This is maintained in pedagogy to create a community of learners that understands and values rights of humans recognizing that every human being has to be dignified. The aim of this dissertation is to examine social justice and education by focusing on the integration of human rights in curricula, policies, and practices of secondary schools. The context describes the focus of the research topic in secondary schooling and the terms used in this study.   The third section looks at three issues relevant to the research topic, namely, the relationship between human rights and education, the stakeholders in human rights education, and the integration of human rights education in secondary schools.The function of education within a social justice framework involves the empowerment of learners to become active change agents in the community. Secondary school education i n human rights should focus on developing the learners’ critical thinking skills in relation to their knowledge about human rights. Teaching about human rights entails transmitting information and ideas on human rights and promoting attitudes and values that support such rights. This is associated with the position that teaching for human rights is characterized by examination of fundamental components that consist of human rights including equality, freedom, justice, and life, and the disparaging impact of pain.

Violence and civil rights struggle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence and civil rights struggle - Essay Example Martin Luther King and Malcom X arose to fight for the position of the blacks in the America community, and today they are acknowledged for the moves. What are the different takes on violence and civil rights struggles? Blacks suffered discrimination in America on housing and employment as well as abuse and lynching from whites and never exercised the right to vote. This was regardless of the fact that slavery in the United States ended in the late 19th century, as the struggle of the black population against the ill treatment brought about the early activists such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. However, although the two individuals among others shared the same thought of ending violence on African American, there takes on violence and civil rights struggle were different. Martin Luther, for example, advocated for peaceful demonstrations for he was against violence of any kind in the society. He believed that peaceful demonstrations would lead to opening up of a room for negoti ation between martin whites and the African Americans. On the issue of the civil rights, martin Luther advocated for human rights where everyone in the nation had equal treatment regardless of race. In the times of Luther King, despite the fact that slave trade and forced labour were no long dead, discrimination and racism was very popular. Malcom X, on the other hand, was revolutionary and radical. He preached independence through the necessary means possible and hence advocated for violence. He is very much unlike Martin Luther King who preached non-violence and obedience philosophy; a similar approach to Gandhi’s during the struggle in India. A combination of the two activists approaches although quite contrasting brought a strong support on the black American movements in relation to violence and discrimination. They brought some life In the face of the struggle and hence why they are prominent and make a huge part of the African America. Malcom X was brought to the limel ight as he was the leader of the demonstrating Muslims, the papers and the radio speaking of the events that had happened at the Lenox Avenue. He can be described as a non-violent man but on the other hand a strong willing man, ready to rally crowds through violence if need be, to protect the rights of other individuals. At the time of these happenings, the whites are said to have not been bothered by the revolution of the blacks unless it threatened the status quo. Movements for civil rights are the political movements that were uprising at the times of people like martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X that took the form of civil resistance. The main aim was to bring about nonviolent aims of resistance but they were accompanied by civil unrest and armed rebellion. What are the consequences of violence becoming part of civil right struggles? Maclom X was one of the renowned Muslim leaders and a Lenox avenue fraces brought him to light after being reported in The Amsterdam News to have told the police officials, â€Å"we do not look for trouble, in fact we are taught to steer clear of trouble. We do not carry knives or guns, but we are also taught than when one finds something that is worthwhile getting into trouble about, he should be ready to die, then and there for that particular thing.† This ensued after the police were holding back a man who had witnessed an incident at the Lenox Avenue and told the Moslems that one of their brother had been beaten by a police man. At the police station, a crowd of Muslims swelled led by Malcolm X

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Research paper - Essay Example Also, it is revealed that the support of the state to the relevant initiatives is not at the level required; the private sector has the key role in promoting schemes that can help to increase pedestrian safety but the necessary resources are often difficult to be retrieved. Thus, the effective cooperation between the state and the private sector is a key requirement for ensuring that pedestrians in cities will be safe no matter their financial or social status. According to a recent study, the number of pedestrians who lost their live because of their involvement in road accidents in USA in 2010 reached the 4,280 people, a number which is rather high if considering the development of technology and legislation related to road travel in USA (CDC 2013). On the other hand, the number of pedestrians who were killed in road accidents in 2001 has been higher compared to that of 2010 (Figure 1). Indeed, in 2001 in total 4,901 pedestrians lost their live after being involved in a road accident (Figure 1); by 2010 this number has been decreased at 4,280 (Figure 1). Also, it seems that the decrease of this figure has been continuous between 2001 and 2010 (Figure 1) a fact that implies the effectiveness of the initiative undertaken by the state and by the private sector in regard to this problem. It should be noted that age does not seem to be a critical factor in regard to the exposure of pedestrians to accidents: among the people mentioned above, i.e. the 4,280 people, only 19% have been found to be over 65 (CDC 2013). Children seem to be exposed to such risks at similar level: about 20% of the pedestrians who were killed in 2010 have been children (CDC 2013). On the other hand, it seems that there are certain factors that can increase the chances for road accident in which pedestrians are involved: for example, alcohol abuse has been found to be a key cause for fatal road accidents, at a

Representing Visual Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Representing Visual Culture - Essay Example Some scenes showed the factory at Jouey, and others rural scenes of workers relaxing drinking dancing, and womanising. Timorous Beasties have not actually changed much in the Toile concept, but have updated the references from the contemporary urban. The urban landscape in many UK cities seems to be changing all the time, modern buildings have become icons that give us a strong sense of identity, and there fore the London Toile seemed a perfect expression of where we were coming from. This fabric speaks so much about the lifestyle of the romantic, peaceful and carefree London. Printed in the fabric, were green different images of the romantic and carefree lifestyles in contrast to a cream linen which made it more beautiful and attractive. There are 8 images injected to a bright cream fabric, showered with flying and feeding doves were a images of lovers overlooking the Great London Bridge across the lake under the tree infront of bench. It is such a very romantic site which made this fabric perfectly ideal for lovers, designed to fit on sofa sets, love rests or even curtains in a lovers bedroom. Next to this image is the city itself, over... This peaceful and solemn serenity of the scene depicts the mood of the sunset, being ready for a relaxing dinner and sleep on your way to your home. Having this fabric hanged in your living room makes you feel that you are glad to be home with your family, celebrating the union before the end of the