Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Irish Identity: Independence, History, and Literature

By: Marc C. Conner, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Marc C. Conner
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £30.99

Buy Now for £30.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

Many political and cultural events sent shock waves through the Irish world in the 19th and early 20th centuries as Ireland gradually shook off the shackles of British rule. Alongside a long and painful political process arose one of the greatest flourishings of literature in modern times - a spirited discourse among those who sought to shape their nation's future, finding the significance of their bloody present intimately entwined with their legendary past. As nationalists including Charles Stewart Parnell, Patrick Pearse, and Michael Collins studied their political situation and sought a road to independence, writers such as W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, J. M. Synge, Lady Gregory, and many others examined the emerging Irish identity and captured the spirit of the nation's ongoing history in their works.

Delve into this remarkable period with The Irish Identity: Independence, History, and Literature. After laying the groundwork of ancient Irish history and centuries of British rule - from the Norman invasion in the 12th century through the brutal Penal Laws and the Great Famine - Professor Conner brings you inside the Irish Renaissance, also called the Irish Revival. Around the turn of the 20th century, a group of writers began taking a keen interest in the uniquely Irish culture, from its language to its art to its mythology. This fascination fed into the growing demand for Irish nationhood, and the arts, culture, and politics of the time are inextricable.

The Irish Renaissance fused and elevated aesthetic and civic ambitions, fueling a cultural climate of masterful artistic creation and resolute political self-determination reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. Over the course of 36 enthralling lectures, Professor Conner reveals the multifaceted story of the Irish Renaissance through an exploration of its complex history and remarkable literature.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2016 The Great Courses
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The American Civil War cover art
The Vietnam War cover art
The Foundations of Western Civilization cover art
The Celtic World cover art
The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis cover art
The Rise of Modern Japan cover art
The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World cover art
A New History of Life cover art
Irish History for Dummies cover art
The Mongol Empire cover art
The Italians before Italy: Conflict and Competition in the Mediterranean cover art
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life cover art
Short Stories in Irish for Beginners cover art
Where Is My Flying Car? cover art
The War That Made America cover art
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World cover art

What listeners say about The Irish Identity: Independence, History, and Literature

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    63
  • 4 Stars
    44
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    57
  • 4 Stars
    39
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    65
  • 4 Stars
    33
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Ahhhhh....

Content is good but the pronunciation is horrific. Don’t get if this would annoy you

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Would recommend

Great overview of key events and figures in Irish history. Particular focus on the key literary figures.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Informative

This course taught me a huge amount about Irish culture, literature and history. It is well structured for a beginner in the subject and the lecturer is a very good speaker.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Intelligent and engaging

Refreshing perspective on all things Irish. Succinct and illuminating. I liked the authors intent and delivery and could easily forgive his occasionally dodgy pronunciation. Very much enjoyed. Thanks!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting telling of the Irish story but....

If you want to be a credible narrator surely a basic ability to pronounce local words and language is a prerequisite. Narration is often interrupted by jarring and laughable mispronounciation of Irish names.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent book. the topics explained clearly and always gives the historic context of each poem and book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

good book, but some pronunciation issues

good book
good narration but there are issues with the pronunciations of some names, places and especially with the irish language when quoted

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Disappointing production

Why o why did the reader not check out the pronunciation of Irish names and place names
Eg Patrick Purse
Ian McNeill
And many more
A shame to ruin such a worthwhile work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Magnificent

Superb sweeping survey of the topic, insightful, authoritative and delivered with clear and engaged narration. I shall go back to sections of this many times.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A pity they didn't get an Irish professor of history

The lecturer mispronounces many Irish words and names. He also gives misleading impressions of aspects of Irish history, especially earlier parts. Note that he specialises in the anglophone subset of Irish literature, not the rich literature in Irish, or history of any kind

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!