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INTRODUCTION
Before
saying anything else it is perhaps necessary to justify the dates
that this discussion group deals with. 1600-1900 is not what generally
is thought of as the early modern period of Irish history. So why
those dates? Firstly, the intention was to deliberately avoid the
20th century, thus the simple label 'modern history' is inapplicable.
1900 was therefore chosen as the end-point. This group's chronological
predecessor, the Late Gaelic Ireland group (itself a title requiring
some justification) terminates at 1700, pretty much in the centre
of what's normally called the early modern period. How, then, to
title a group covering the period which follows, but ends in 1900?
Early modern seemed the best approximation, and so it stands.
This
period of Irish history contains some of the best known events of
post-medieval history - Cromwell, 1798, O'Connell, the Great Hunger.
It also covers times and processes which tend to receive far less
attention than is perhaps right. We might think of the causes and
consequences of the starvation of a quarter of the population in
and around 1741, the rise of the linen and cotton industries, of
shipbuilding at Belfast, the actual manner in which the Penal Laws
were implemented (or not), the forces which led to the creation
of Georgian Dublin, the work of the Land League, and the career
of Parnell. All worthy of attention, even if for no other reason
than to gain a better understanding of the causes and implications
of those more famous events and the careers of equally famous figures.
THE
'EARLY MODERN IRELAND' DISCUSSION GROUP
The
'Early Modern Ireland' discussion group was founded in October
2000. The group has, in this short career, dealt with a variety
of topics and, from February 2001 through to early summer, an extended
debate on the causes of the Great Hunger. Though tensions between
'camps' at times ran high, these few months saw one of the few occasions
on which this sensitive and emotive topic was discussed without
resort to vitriol. As such, this debate stands as a marker of the
environment IRQUAS strives to create, where difficult issues
can be addressed head-on, where strongly opposed opinions can be
presented in the knowledge that they will be respected and soundly
challenged to demonstrate their worth in the cold light of day.
Current membership stands at over 100.
To
join the discussion group, simply click the link below to create
an auto-addressed email, and press 'Send'. You will shortly receive
via email a confirmation request to which you must reply. Within
minutes your membership will be logged and you can begin interacting
with other group members online. New members are encouraged to send
an initial message to the group introducing themselves, and mentioning
their areas of interest in Ireland's stone age period.
Members
and non-members alike can freely access the group's archives. These
help give a feel for the type of topics discussed for those considering
subscribing, and help new members catch up on past debates. To view
or search the archives, just click on the link below.
RELATED
DISCUSSION GROUP HOMEPAGES
LINKS
DOCUMENTS
& DATABASES
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last updated 28 September 2001
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