An Irish republican tradition?

Abstract

This paper argues that there has indeed been a long-standing republican political tradition in Ireland, dating perhaps from the American and French revolutions and certainly from the 1850s. Intellectually it has been less than coherent, and commonly it has been a very broad church indeed, containing in its ranks constitutional monarchs, communists, near fascists and national democrats. Contrary to modern claims that Irish republicanism has always favoured neutrality, it is pointed out that Irish republicans have commonly favoured alliances with great powers as counterweights to Great Britain. Republican constitutional theory has remained rather underdeveloped and cannot compete for intellectual depth with the mainline Irish political tradition represented by the constitutions of 1922 and 1937. Modern IRA associated attempts at political theory betray a fantasist style of thinking and an utter disregard for both political realities and the whole question of popular consent.