Irish National Identity in Resistance to British Colonial Policy

Abstract

Generally speaking, the historic relationship between Ireland and Britain is often seen as complex and ambiguous. This can be remarkable in the status of Ireland as an internal colony of the British Empire, where this Imperial subjugation of the Irish provides much importance to how they remember their problematic past. On the other hand, the aftermath of the British rule also represents a positive aspect by leading to the formation and evolution of Irish national identity. However, the main purpose for the Irish to establish such identity can be clarified as a form of resilience against Britain’s Imperial oppression. For that, this called for reviving the Irish language as one of the most significant elements of Irish identity. On that account, this study aims to identify the impact of Irish language revitalization on reawakening Irish national identity in resistance to British Colonialism. Based on a meticulous analysis applied to the Irish case, namely the Republic of Ireland, it can be concluded that the Irish language was able to de-clutter the British influence in Ireland through cultural activism. In addition, Irish language revival paved the way to reclaim Irishness as an essential requirement to sustain Irish national identity. Furthermore, the preservation of this language led to a future where national identity became enrooted in Irish people. To conclude, this analysis demonstrates that Irish language revival can be regarded as a pivotal medium of change, which can lead the Irish to reignite their sense of national identity. Hence, put an end to any remains of the troublesome and oppressive British enemy.