Grand Opportunity

In this groundbreaking work, Timothy McMahon reexamines the significance

of the Gaelic Revival in forming Ireland's national identity.

United in their determination to preserve and extend the use of Irish

as a spoken language and artistic medium, members of the Gaelic

Revival profoundly influenced Irish culture and literature in the twentieth

century. McMahon explores that influence by scrutinizing the

ways in which society absorbed their leaders' message, tracing the

interaction between the ideas propagated by the Gaelic League

and the variety of meanings ordinary people attached Ireland and

being Irish.

Comparing press and police reports with census data and local

directories, the author establishes the first comprehensive profile of

League membership. McMahon's abilty to access both Englishand

Irish-language sources offers readers a rare and richly detailed

analysis of primary materials. Grand Opportunity addresses questions

that are central to understanding modern Irish identity and makes

an indispensable contribution to the wider study of national identity

formation.