How to Fix Northern Ireland

by Malachi O'Doherty

'Deeply researched and often revelatory... variegated and sensitive' Literary Review It is twenty-five years since the Good Friday Agreement brought an end to the terrible violence that rocked Northern Ireland for decades. Yet, in this controversial and provocative new book, Malachi O'Doherty argues that it completely ignored the real reason behind the conflict and instead left a festering wound at the core of society. Part memoir, part history and part polemic, How to Fix Northern Ireland shows how the country's deep division is simply not about whether it should be governed as part of Ireland or as part of Britain - as presumed by the agreement - but rather is fundamentally sectarian, an inter-ethnic stress comparable to racism. O'Doherty reveals how the split between catholics and protestants continues to invade everyday life - from education and segregated housing, from street protests, bonfires and parades to the high politics of power sharing and Brexit - and asks what can be done to solve a centuries-old social rift and heal the relationship at the heart of the problem.

Genres: Ireland

384 pages, Paperback

Published July 4, 2024

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful and readable explanation of how society in Northern Ireland is divided along sectarian lines even as late as 2022/3. O'Doherty is able to explain that protestant and catholic (he insists on lower case) are primarily ethnic terms in NI, rather than religious/confessional. He decries political 'whataboutery' and sheds light on the subtle ways in which modern sectarianism is expressed by good people who would be horrified to be called sectarian. The first 6 chapters are excellent and the section on Languages makes some great points about Ulster Scots and Irish being needlessly politicised. I realised that I know a lot of Ulster Scots and that my dad uses the dialect with me a lot more than my mum.

However, O'Doherty's analysis does not lead to a detailed, considered solutions to 'fix' Northern Ireland at the end of his book.

The book assumes an understanding of the Good Friday/Belfast agreement that not everyone will have and makes some speculations with little evidence other than a single anonymous source, for example the claim that modern voters in the Republic of Ireland are unsympathetic to northern nationalists. Surprisingly ambivalent about Alliance and integrated education, the author's main ambition seems to be to divorce the constitutional question of Union vs Unification/'New Ireland' from the old sectarian division. The occasional catholic in the UUP and protestant in the SDLP are held up as signs of progress. But these individuals are outliers and the constitutional question will always be tied to identity and history.

The current arrangements for devolved governance in NI are hard-won and fragile.. and the efforts to establish them in 1998 and 2006 were tortuous for those involved. The author casually suggests dismantling the power-sharing element of the Assembly to create an opposition without any further explanation. In my view, this would not remove the sectarian divide, but only ensure one radical 'side' eg Sinn Fein or the DUP is in power (or in coalition with SDLP/UUP) and the other has to win new voters. Which sounds constructive but in NI, this radical change could stoke serious unrest.

The recommendations to forcibly remove murals and flags and peace walls are not original and would make working class communities feel patronised and unsafe. Which is exactly the result the author avowedly would not want, so I don't understand why he makes these throwaway recommendations at the end.

I think a more detailed discussion of how a 'New Ireland' could accommodate British identifying protestants as a respected regional identity would be more interesting. But we're a long way off being ready for that. So exploring ways to share a reflective Northern Irish identity via shared music, sport and traditions is a more immediate concern. Again, O'Doherty touches on a huge issue - Memory, suggesting a Troubles Museum. I think Memory could have had its own chapter, as developing a strategy to enable all protestant and catholic children to remember the recent past and talk about it is a huge priority for Northern Ireland if sectarianism is to be identified, de-fanged and understood.

All in all, this book is interesting, descriptive and a helpful start to a conversation but it could be a little more carefully framed, less anecdotal and more evidence-based.

[Ger O'Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happen to believe that when people are telling you their problems you are supposed to do more listening than speaking. Northern Ireland's current problems are much more subtle than the bombs and the bullets which have (mostly) gone away. O'Doherty does a very good job of enlightening us about all the different ways sectarianism chokes off independent thought and communication, in so many different areas of society. In order to understand his 'fix', you need to understand the problem, and that takes time.

I suspect he did not want to turn off people on either side of the divide by throwing the challenge into their face straightaway. He begins with an explicitly rambling tour through neighbourhoods, which may be a much more interesting read for locals that know the area - any chance of a map, fella? Then the bulk of the book goes through all the different aspects of Northern Ireland society that exacerbate and perpetuate divisions. Gradually a picture forms that sectarianism, and the particular nature of sectarianism in Northern Ireland, underlies all the other problems. When it comes to stating 'the fix', there is not much left to say, except to lay down the challenge to representatives of all the different parts of society .

The problem with the book was that it was done backwards, and I think that might be to do with the real intended audience (which ain't me). My personal takeaway is a greater awareness of the distinction between personal and communal racism. However, I don't live in Northern Ireland. For those of us with no personal stake in the issues, we would have enjoyed it much more if he didn't follow the rambling tour of West Belfast with another rambling tour of society, and instead stated his thesis at the outset and then spent 300 pages backing it up. I think I get it though - in a society where division is the default, you have to win hearts before the minds turn off.

[Sleepy Sheepie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book but ultimately unsatisfying. In spite of the audacious title, this book devoted approximately 14 pages to actually discussing how to fix Northern Ireland. That’s not an exaggeration.

I appreciated learning about what NI is like these days, since most films and books about it are focused on the Troubles era. It’s clear that sectarianism is still rampant, and Catholics and Protestants often dislike and distrust one another. Much of the tension reminds me of our problems in America with Republicans and Democrats, not to mention racism.

But what this book lacks is a justification for why anyone outside of Northern Ireland, Ireland and the UK should care. It doesn’t claim that sectarian violence is increasing, or that anyone’s civil rights are being violated, or that there are statistical disparities in housing, employment, healthcare, or incarceration between the two groups. Perhaps the author assumes the possibility of the Troubles restarting again is sufficient reason to be concerned, but the evidence wasn’t presented in this book. Throughout the book I kept thinking, “Is anyone actually being oppressed here, or do they just dislike each other?”

I did a bit of googling after finishing this book and found that there are serious issues with homelessness, poverty, unemployment and high suicide rates in NI, although nothing indicates that these issues affect one group over the other. This book would’ve been stronger if it had done a better job of accurately presenting the problems of NI, as well as a more in-depth discussion of how to fix them. Instead it was a meandering litany of anecdotes, interviews and observations.

I will also add that it is very clear that NI is struggling with psychological (and generational) trauma from the Troubles, and I would’ve been interested to read more about these issues and how a community reconciles and heals after those events. But that wasn’t what this book was about.

[Рубен · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is a good insight into Northern Ireland for people not from the province. However, the book itself feels like it’s flogging a dead horse sometimes.
The author explains how he doesn’t like to be labeled and how he doesn’t like it when labels are used to describe an entire race, religion, or political ideology: And then, goes on to say we can’t expect anything good to come from Northern Ireland’s political parties because they are run by “straight white males”. So all straight white people are against gay marriage, abortion, etc? Saying he’s against labels and then throwing out that racist whopper was very disappointing to read. I don’t know what being “white” has to do with their political ideas.

[Robin Schneider · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting POV on sectarianism in present-day Ireland. Don't typically read non-fiction from a centrist perspective on account of being an IRA sympathizer so I found some of the very strong opinions presented here to be a bit grating. I also am of the strong belief that Secretarianism isn't in and of itself a problem - it's a symptom of a problem. Forcing communities to remove their flags, tear down statues and cease use of cultural symbols is going to do little to solve any of the actual problems that exist in NI like the increasing wealth disparity, generational poverty, and the prevalence of mental illness. I struggle to see any way out of this divide without a marked shift toward socialist policies.

Anyways. Kneecap mentioned!!

[Thekirkiepirate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this having found Malachi O'Doherty's account of 50 years of the Troubles interesting and informative. This book is in the same vein.

Looking at NI from a distance, it is easy to think that the broken society is behind them, but this does not seem to be the case. He takes us through a range of issues ranging from seperate schooling to how sport is reported in different newspapers to highlight where some of the differences between the two communities lie. At the end of the book, he also provides a commentary of how he feels the country could move forward. Although Brexit and the NI Protocol are covered, I think that this is a pivitol issue and would like to have read more about it. He also makes the very pertinent point that even if a small majority vote for unification, these underlying issues will not go away.

A very illuminating and thought-provoking book which I hope has left me more tolerant of the views of others.

[Sara Raftery · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, if strongly opinionated, analysis of the state of things in Northern Ireland. O'Doherty makes no secret of his personal views and comes off as a bit of a blowhard who pretty clearly has zero patience left for either side of the conflict, but it's always clear where he stands, and he comes by his frustration honestly as a Belfast native who's been covering the Troubles since the 70s. I bet if I was from either of the communities the book covers I'd find it pretty tiresome. As an outsider, I found the book helpful, with a few really great insights. Worth reading for perspective, if nothing else.

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

ein bisschen vorwissen über die troubles ist für das buch meiner meinung nach notwendig. es zeigt die probleme die immer noch in NI präsent sind, aber einen wirklichen „fix“ gibt es nicht wirklich… es ist ein unglaublich komplexes thema vorallem nach dem brexit

[Maurice Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it although he belaboured the point a little.

[Katie Fyrth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last book I read before my wedding lol. Great perspective from someone in Belfast - good humour mixed with historical perspective

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less about the “how” and just varying explanations as to what needs fixing. Particularly focused on all the varying socio-cultural forms of engrained sectarianism that persist.

[Erik Brodin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways a very interesting exploration of the current divisions in Northern Ireland.
O'Doherty moves the problem away from the civil war to a still all to prevailing sectarianism which, according to him, has only been marginally affected by the Good Friday Agreement. For an outsider, the reading may at times be too detailed, but it also gives credibility. Then you can probably discuss the choice of title, there is only a very small part of "How to Fix Northern Ireland" that actually discusses how to fix Northern Ireland and the solutions do not feel particularly far-reaching and would probably be a start rather than sufficient. However, "How to Fix Northern Ireland" offers an illuminating analysis of the problem today in the 2020s in one of Western Europe's most conflict-ridden areas.
Rating 3,75

Review originally written in Swedish

[Johan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, it is so strange that in my country Protestants and Catholics live next door to each other without probably being aware of the fact.