The British Left and Ireland in the Twentieth Century
This collection explores how the British left has interacted with the Irish question throughout the twentieth century, the lefts expression of solidarity with Irish republicanism and relationships built with Irish political movements.
Throughout the twentieth century, the British left expressed, to varying degrees, solidarity with Irish republicanism and fostered links with republican, nationalist, socialist and labour groups in Ireland. Although this peaked with the Irish Revolution from 1916 to 1923 and during the Troubles in the 1970s80s, this collection shows that the British left sought to build relationships with their Irish counterparts (in both the North and South) from the Edwardian to Thatcherite period. However these relationships were much more fraught and often reflected an imperial dynamic, which hindered political action at different stages during the century. This collection explores various stages in Irish political history where the British left attempted to engage with what was happening across the Irish Sea.
The chapters in this book were originally published in the journal, Contemporary British History.
Evan Smith is Visiting Fellow in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia. He has written widely on political extremism, social movements and national security in Britain, Australia and South Africa.
Matthew Worley is Professor of modern history at the University of Reading, UK. He has written widely on British politics and culture in the twentieth century. His latest monograph, No Future: Punk, Politics and British Youth Culture, 197684, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2017.
First published 2021
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Contents
Citation Information
Notes on Contributors
Introduction: the British left and Ireland in the twentieth century
Evan Smith and Matthew Worley
Sharon Crozier-De Rosa
2 Theyll never understand why Im here: British Marxism and the Irish Revolution, 19161923
Charlie McGuire
3 As imperialistic as our masters? Relations between British and Irish communists, 19201941
David Convery
4 The Connolly Association, the Catholic Church, and anti-communism in Britain and Ireland during the early Cold War
Gerard Madden
5 Two flags in the sand: anti-Communism in early Cold War Northern Ireland
Stephen J. Goss
6 Northern Ireland and the Far Left, c. 1965 1975
Marc Mulholland
7 Intersectional solidarity? The Armagh women, the British left and womens liberation
Brodie Nugent and Evan Smith
The chapters in this book were originally published in various issues of Contemporary British History. When citing this material, please use the original citations and page numbering for each article as follows:
Introduction
Introduction: the British left and Ireland in the twentieth century
Evan Smith and Matthew Worley
Contemporary British History, volume 32, issue 4 (2018) pp. 437447
Divided sisterhood? Nationalist feminism and feminist militancy in England and Ireland
Sharon Crozier-De Rosa
Contemporary British History, volume 32, issue 4 (2018) pp. 448469
Chapter 2
Theyll never understand why Im here: British Marxism and the Irish Revolution, 19161923
Charlie McGuire
Contemporary British History, volume 32, issue 2 (2018) pp. 147168
Chapter 3
As imperialistic as our masters? Relations between British and Irish communists, 19201941
David Convery
Contemporary British History, volume 32, issue 4 (2018) pp. 470491
Chapter 4
The Connolly Association, the Catholic Church, and anti-communism in Britain and Ireland during the early Cold War
Gerard Madden
Contemporary British History, volume 32, issue 4 (2018) pp. 492510
Chapter 5
Two flags in the sand: anti-Communism in early Cold War Northern Ireland
Stephen J. Goss
Contemporary British History, volume 32, issue 4 (2018) pp. 511541
Chapter 6
Northern Ireland and the Far Left, c. 1965 1975
Marc Mulholland
Contemporary British History, volume 32, issue 4 (2018) pp. 542563
Chapter 7
Intersectional solidarity? The Armagh women, the British left and womens liberation
Brodie Nugent and Evan Smith
Contemporary British History, volume 31, issue 4 (2017) pp. 611635
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David Convery Independent scholar, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Sharon Crozier-De Rosa University of Wollongong, Australia.
Stephen J. Goss School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics; Stranmillis College; Queens University of Belfast; UK.
Gerard Madden Discipline of History, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.
Charlie McGuire Department of Humanities, Teesside University, UK.
Marc Mulholland Faculty of History, St Catherines College, Oxford University, UK.
Brodie Nugent College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia.