Irish Historians

This paper will examine whether the contribution of the Irish History Revisionists in the 1930s has been mainly constructive or destructive.

In the 1930s two historians, T.W. Moody and R.D. Edwards set out to change the way Irish history was written. They were determined to produce history that was constructive and instrumental. By constructive they meant that history should be more scientific. This side of their aims did not produce the controversy that has followed them. It was their instrumental aims, which included the aim to refute received wisdom or unquestioned assumptions concerning well known events, person or processes by mea ns of findings of new research. It is this Instrumental aim which has led to the main controversy and gives rise to the question of whether Irish revisionism has been constructive or destructive. Arguments over various issues have arisen since this time including even the very definition of who is a revisionist in the Irish sense One of the main problems when discussing Irish Revisionism is in defining it. There are many varying beliefs as too what it stands for but no agreed d efinition as too what it is. Some examples of attempts to define it are given below.

Definitions of Revisionism:

...a Revisionist is someone who is unhappy with the way that Irish history has sometimes been used as a justification for violent nationalism .... and whose deliberate purpose is .... to de-mythologise the history of Ireland so as to undermine the basis of that support ...a striking characteristic of modern Irish historiography [is a continuous compulsion to confront myth and mythology Those who ... would rewrite history not as it was, or as they have been taught it was, but as they would prefer it to have been.

Revisionism is the sense of a critical approach towards received orthodoxy So revisionism is variously, depending on the author in questions view, an attempt to write objective history or an attempt to discredit violent nationalism. This leads to the belief that the constructive or destructive merits of revisionism are also a relatively subjective issue. Some of the issues arising from so called revisionism, within Irish history, are as follows; whether the English were responsible for the Irish famine; the roots of Ulster Unionism; the economic benefits of the act of union; interpretations of the rising. The list goes on and is long. Revisio nism would seem a natural facet of all history. Why write any new histories if they are not telling something new. Surely, it is impossible not to ruffle some feathers when bringing new facts to life. In Ireland, unfortunately, history has become increasingly important since 1969, the start of what have become known as the troubles. F.S.L. Lyons writes particularly well on this subject but unfortunately seems to show a bias in the other direction to Bradshaws. In his essay The Burden of Our History, Lyons calls for a more enlightened history that will help to reconcile the two traditions of Ireland. Lyons is not an historian to ignore facts but it may be that a true history may never lead to reconciliation. Lyons does put forward the case extremely well illustrating how the divide in Ireland came about but it still remains to be seen as to whether one can study history in a particular light.

Bradshaw is one of the strongest Anti-revisionists. He argues that revisionism has been an essentially destructive element within Irish History. He argues that historians have a duty to the public to soften their interpretations in line with the good of the nation. He suggests that historians should temper their findings in the public interest and essentially promote myths if necessary . This is far more destructive than any stance revisionist historians have taken. Hugh Kearney responds particularly well to Bradshaws claims. Kearney shows how Bradshaw attempts to have it both ways by labelling some new histories revisionist and some not.

Desmond Fennell is another anti-revisionist. He argues that revisionism is an ideological stance that takes a moral view of history. His arguments are more persuasive than Bradshaws. He argues that the revisionists have tried to water down the e ffect of British rule in Ireland and that they have served the political establishment to this end. However Fennell also believes that historians should write for the collective well being of their nation . This is an extremely suspect view as one can argue for any view of history if one chooses what facts to include and what to exclude. It is a view that would seem inconsistent with the ideas behind most modern history.

Other historians have of course been involved in this debate. People like R.F. Foster, C.C. OBrien, to name but two, have contributed an enormous amount to our understanding of the Irish past. They have tried to better understand the two traditions in the country and define why their exists a dichotomy in both the past and the present. It is essential that this work continues and it is probable that the revisionist debate will continue for a good while yet.

It is not possible to answer the question as it is written without accepting that it is a valid one and that one should consider the question of revisionism and anti-revisionism. Revisionism is an impossible branch of Irish history to define exactly. In essence this question is one of perspective. If any historian takes a moral or political stance before setting out on their exploration of the past they will surely produce history that is worth nothing. While value-free history may be an impossibility it is important to strive for the truth or history is useless.

In answer to whether revisionism has been constructive or destructive all discussion is surely constructive but it is unfortunate that Irish historians have defined the two specific sides to the history of Ireland. This limits any history and must surely be discarded in order that better informed debate takes place.

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Author:: Sharon White
Keywords:: Irish
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