History and the shaping of Irish Protestantism

by Desmond Bowen

A continuing problem for political authorities and scholars is understanding the mentality of Irish Protestants, especially in Ulster, where churchmen seem to exist in a 'primal sense of siege.' This study argues that the mind of Irish Protestantism is a reflection of the historical experience of a minority people who have found themselves under perennial attack both religiously and culturally. The work traces the tensions between the dual authorities of Rome and Britain, especially from the time of the Reformation, and how this dialectic has contributed to the development of the Irish Protestant identity. Special attention is paid to the Ulster 'troubles' in the twentieth century.