The Young Ireland Movement

The Young Ireland Movement of the 1840's was one of the most influential in Irish history. Its leaders were the first to propose a theory of cultural nationalismóthe idea that the Irish were racially differentiated from the English to the point that they must have separate political institutions. This not only led many of the Movement's leaders towards a radical republicanism, it also introduced contemporary ideas of romantic nationalism from Europe into Ireland for the first time. The author presents the first modern overview of the personalities and ideology of this crucial link in the chain of Irish nationalism.