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The Ex-Isle of Erin
Drawing on contemporary politics, economics, literature, and history, the author comments on the country's self-image and how that image is changing in response to a world without boundaries
235 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Fintan O'Toole
58 books366 followersFintan O'Toole is a columnist, assistant editor and drama critic for The Irish Times. O'Toole was born in Dublin and was partly educated at University College Dublin. He has written for the Irish Times since 1988 and was drama critic for the New York Daily News from 1997 to 2001. He is a literary critic, historical writer and political commentator, with generally left-wing views. He was and continues to be a strong critic of corruption in Irish politics, in both the Haughey era and continuing to the present.
O'Toole has criticised what he sees as negative attitudes towards immigration in Ireland, the state of Ireland's public services, growing inequality during Ireland's economic boom, the Iraq War and the American military's use of Shannon Airport, among many other issues. In 2006, he spent six months in China reporting for The Irish Times. In his weekly columns in The Irish Times, O'Toole opposed the IRA's campaign during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fintan_O...
O'Toole has criticised what he sees as negative attitudes towards immigration in Ireland, the state of Ireland's public services, growing inequality during Ireland's economic boom, the Iraq War and the American military's use of Shannon Airport, among many other issues. In 2006, he spent six months in China reporting for The Irish Times. In his weekly columns in The Irish Times, O'Toole opposed the IRA's campaign during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
information from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fintan_O...
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 17, 2023
A typical mean minded take by a left leaning Irish journalist who takes random potshots at Irish society. Some justified but all cloaked in O'Toole's self regarding righteousness.
His main target is the Catholic Church which he seems to blame for pretty much everything. Fintan doesn't mis a chance to draw tenuous links between Church scandals and scandals in Irish life. Forget the 800 years of occupation by Britain, to O'Toole it appears the real culprits are the Catholic Church who squandered the chance to build a New Republic after independence. Naturally O'Toole draws on sources that support his bias. The only theme running through this is is dislike of the Church and at every turn he highlights the resulting hypocrisy of Irish society.
O'Toole's exceptionalism is astonishing. There is never an attempt to look at these issues in a wider worldwide context.The only outside influence is a malign one from Rome. Everything Irish gets viewed through his narrow left leaning skepticism. He occasionally takes a break from Church bashing to have digs at Tony O'Brien, Riverdance, Michael Flatley and others. Some justified, but one feels slightly sullied after reading his constant griping. I don't think he had anything positive to say about anyone throughout this book!
I noticed that there is never any criticism of left leaning politicians or personalities. The left mindset is a workers paradise in O'Toole's mind. Fintan is never a man to question his own beliefs or laugh at his naivety, it appears she has been right from birth.
I picked up the book for free but it astonishes me that people pay for this. For those of his persuasion it is an exercise in confirmation bias. It lacks compassion and humanity. In his black and white world there seems to be no redemption. He perfectly illustrates the problem of socialism. Fintan gives the impression that the Terror of the French Revolution was a necessary adjustment. I read it in 2023 but don't want to include a finish date as it would only appear in my reads of the year and insult the other books I have read this year.
His main target is the Catholic Church which he seems to blame for pretty much everything. Fintan doesn't mis a chance to draw tenuous links between Church scandals and scandals in Irish life. Forget the 800 years of occupation by Britain, to O'Toole it appears the real culprits are the Catholic Church who squandered the chance to build a New Republic after independence. Naturally O'Toole draws on sources that support his bias. The only theme running through this is is dislike of the Church and at every turn he highlights the resulting hypocrisy of Irish society.
O'Toole's exceptionalism is astonishing. There is never an attempt to look at these issues in a wider worldwide context.The only outside influence is a malign one from Rome. Everything Irish gets viewed through his narrow left leaning skepticism. He occasionally takes a break from Church bashing to have digs at Tony O'Brien, Riverdance, Michael Flatley and others. Some justified, but one feels slightly sullied after reading his constant griping. I don't think he had anything positive to say about anyone throughout this book!
I noticed that there is never any criticism of left leaning politicians or personalities. The left mindset is a workers paradise in O'Toole's mind. Fintan is never a man to question his own beliefs or laugh at his naivety, it appears she has been right from birth.
I picked up the book for free but it astonishes me that people pay for this. For those of his persuasion it is an exercise in confirmation bias. It lacks compassion and humanity. In his black and white world there seems to be no redemption. He perfectly illustrates the problem of socialism. Fintan gives the impression that the Terror of the French Revolution was a necessary adjustment. I read it in 2023 but don't want to include a finish date as it would only appear in my reads of the year and insult the other books I have read this year.
Displaying 1 of 1 review