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Post by irishconfederate on May 6, 2017 14:53:21 GMT
Besides federalism what else do we want to define ourselves as to the world, especially with an eye to serving a strong - distinct and binding enough - pluralist Irish identity? We are 'a literary nation', 'a maritime nation', 'a nation with a long freedom struggle', 'a neutral nation'; what do we think of these? Are there more aspects of our identity we could embrace and represent to ourselves through institutions? |
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Post by maolsheachlann on May 13, 2017 12:06:48 GMT
I believe we should return to the Gaelic aesthetic and identity of the Gaelic Revival. It has been far more successful than anything else in creating a distinct Irish identity. I think that project should never have been abandoned.
I'm also all in favour of restoring the ideal of neutrality.
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Post by irishconfederate on May 17, 2017 19:10:16 GMT
I believe we should return to the Gaelic aesthetic and identity of the Gaelic Revival. It has been far more successful than anything else in creating a distinct Irish identity. I think that project should never have been abandoned. I'm also all in favour of restoring the ideal of neutrality. I'm in favour of restoring the ideal of neutrality too. We could apply it creatively as well, as in Switzerland's case. NGOs might be favourable in having their headquarters here - I'm sure knowledge of our long freedom struggle around the world could encourage countries and organisations to be sympathetic to locating to Ireland. As an aside I do think leaving the EU would compliment such a neutral identity.
Deep down I would like to see a return to the Gaelic aesthetic and identity of the Gaelic Revival too. I think though at present the best we can aim for is to represent an Irish identity which enables those who are and aren't for those ideals of the Gaelic Revival to feel themselves at home with. I think a devolved Ireland can do that as it can be shown to be making Ireland politically Gaelic.
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Post by maolsheachlann on May 17, 2017 19:53:41 GMT
I'm less keen on international NGO's-- most are pro-abortion and pro-homosexuality.
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Post by irishconfederate on May 19, 2017 19:35:56 GMT
Maybe not those NGOs then  , maybe bodies that might be open to working in and with a country whose had a long colonial past - which they may have had- and so shares a common ground. Or other bodies that may want a neutral country to base themselves in. Maybe its worth starting a thread in the future on Irish neutrality as its worth working out. There's the Peace and Neutrality Alliance www.pana.ie/ - anyone know what they are like?
What about the abolition of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction - as part of being neutral would we be for the abolition of such weapons?
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Post by irishconfederate on May 19, 2017 20:23:13 GMT
Ancient Greece and Ireland
Lately I've been reflecting on the following three quotes (one adapted quote) that links Ireland backwards to Ancient Greece, thought to post here in case of any interest:
'...that we may carve an Attica out of Ireland.' George Russell, The National Being, 1917
'When a few hundred thousand Greeks in southern Hellas and the Aegean islands confronted the Persian world-system with a radical rejection of all it stood for, and refused to be absorbed, it seemed to all Persians and to some intelligent Greeks mere pigheaded petty nationalism. But it turned out to be important not only for the Greeks, but for all the world that came after them.' Desmond Fennell, The State of the Nation
“… I think of an Athenian Ireland, but of an Athens immensely perfected by the greatness of Christianity” Adapted excerpt (adapted to 'Athenian Ireland') by Karol Wojtyla, writing about an 'Athenian Poland'
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Post by maolsheachlann on May 19, 2017 20:45:25 GMT
I like the spirit of being able to stand for something radically different. It's a bit of a hard sell at a time when everybody wants to "get in line with the rest of the world".
The Greek city states are a good example of direct democracy, although they had much smaller polities of course.
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, maybe bodies that might be open to working in and with a country whose had a long colonial past - which they may have had- and so shares a common ground. Or other bodies that may want a neutral country to base themselves in. Maybe its worth starting a thread in the future on Irish neutrality as its worth working out. There's the Peace and Neutrality Alliance