Irish Nationality

Alice Stopford GreenProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 275K words
Chapters: 28

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Irish Nationality by Alice Stopford GreenAuthor: Green, Alice Stopford, 1848-1929,Language: English, Class: DA: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Great Britain, Ireland, Central Europe, Release Date: Jan 9, 2011

Editor's review

Green discusses the formation of Irish nationality through historical narrative, examining national identity within long-term historical processes and social structures rather than reducing it to bloodline or slogans. The book is short and tightly focused, making it a suitable introduction to Irish history and the national question. The author examines how institutions, land, religion, and communal memory shaped collective identity; the narrative carries a distinct viewpoint and the marks of its time, so readers gain a historical framework while needing to stay critical. The English original was released by Project Gutenberg; the language is generally plain, with many historical names and places, so keeping a map and chronology at hand is advised. It suits history enthusiasts, beginners in area studies, and readers who need to understand nationalist discourse, but not those expecting novelistic narrative or a complete general history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

History enthusiasts interested in Irish history and the national question
Supplementary introductory reading for area studies and history students
Social science readers seeking to understand how nationalist discourse took shape
Learners who wish to train historical reading skills through an English original

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking plot-driven historical stories or biographies
Readers needing a systematic, complete textbook of Irish history
Beginners with weak English who are unfamiliar with historical places and names

Reading tips

Before reading, look over an Irish historical chronology to establish a basic timeline.
Keep a map ready and locate places as they appear to avoid confusion.
Note the author's judgments on the causes of nationality as you read, and distinguish historical fact from commentary.
After finishing, compare with other introductory Irish history books to test this book's stance and selections.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a complete general history?

No. It focuses on the formation of Irish nationality and related questions; it is a thematic historical discussion, not an all-inclusive general history. For a systematic general history, read it alongside a textbook of Irish history.

What background knowledge is needed?

Basic knowledge of British and Irish geography is helpful, along with a rough understanding of the Reformation, the land question, and similar historical background. If lacking, skim a chronology and map first; the main text will then be much easier to follow.

Is the English original difficult to read?

The language is generally plain, but there are many historical proper names, place names, and period expressions, and the narrative carries the author's viewpoint. Use a dictionary and map, and when sentences are long, grasp the main structure rather than dwelling on every word.

Can the book's views be taken as settled conclusions?

Not entirely. The book reflects the author's era and personal stance, and its account of the causes of nationality is selective. Readers should treat it as one perspective, compare it with other historical research, and distinguish factual narrative from value judgments.

Comments

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About the author

Alice Stopford Green Author · Irish · 1847–1929

Alice Stopford Green (1847–1929) was an Irish historian and nationalist. Born in Kells, County Meath, she married the historian John Richard Green. After her husband's death she turned to independent writing, publishing Henry the Second in 1888 and later works including Town Life in the Fifteenth Century, Irish Nationality and The Old Irish World, which deal mainly with medieval urban history and Irish history. Her writing attends closely to the concrete texture of social life and is clear in style, combining scholarship with readability. In her later years she was active in the Irish national cause and in 1922 became a member of the first Irish Senate. Five of her works are included in this collection.