Catholic Nationalism in the Irish Revival

Canon Sheehan's writings provide valuable insight into Ireland's difficult process of cultural reconstruction after independence. This astute observer of Irish society was pessimistic about the future of religion. Though himself a man of European culture, he made a case for isolationism to become reality under the Free State. It is a case which today is easily scorned - but his work allows us to understand why it could command such support, and to appreciate its relative historical justification.