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Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground
Twenty years on from her critically acclaimed book, 'Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People', Susan McKay talks again to the Protestant community in Northern Ireland. Based on almost 100 brand-new interviews, and told with McKay’s trademark passion and conviction, this is essential reading.
Containing interviews with politicians, former paramilitaries, victims and survivors, business people, religious leaders, community workers, young people, writers and others, it tackles controversial issues, such as Brexit, paramilitary violence, the border, the legacy of the Troubles, same-sex marriage and abortion, RHI, and the possibility of a United Ireland, and explores social justice issues and campaigns, particularly the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights.
Containing interviews with politicians, former paramilitaries, victims and survivors, business people, religious leaders, community workers, young people, writers and others, it tackles controversial issues, such as Brexit, paramilitary violence, the border, the legacy of the Troubles, same-sex marriage and abortion, RHI, and the possibility of a United Ireland, and explores social justice issues and campaigns, particularly the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights.
346 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 2021
41 people are currently reading
374 people want to read
About the author
Susan McKay
21 books9 followersSusan McKay is a journalist and commentator who previously served as Northern editor of the Sunday Tribune.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 18, 2021
I would urge everyone with an interest in Northern Ireland to read this book. There is a perception that Ulster Protestants are all the same. This is an easy characterisation. This book shows the complexity and diversity within the Unionist community. If we are ever to have a lasting political solution in Northern Ireland the two communities need to understand each other. This book offers us a glimpse into the Protestant identity and we would do well to understand their fears and aspirations. This is a fantastic piece of writing, part sociological study, I was totally immersed in the views and opinions of those the author interviewed.
June 20, 2021
This book could hardly be timelier. In 2021, Ulster Unionism / Loyalism finds itself at a crossroads. Having tied themselves to a Tory-driven Brexit during the last half-decade (just as the UK Conservative Party seemed to be jettisoning what remained of their own unionism), they find themselves betrayed by Boris Johnson, with the union of Britain and Northern Ireland apparently weakened by the Protocol agreement. Ulster Unionists are facing a demographic tipping point, with the likely loss of their long-standing majority status within Northern Ireland. And working-class Loyalists, claiming to have received no benefit from the long decades of relative peace, are now making ominous noises about ‘fighting to defend the union’.
All of these are reasons why “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” is such a crucial read right now. The veteran journalist Susan McKay (herself from a Northern Protestant background) sets out to widen our understanding of this frequently-maligned group – a people often derided and dismissed even by their putative political allies in Britain. This book comes almost exactly twenty years after Susan McKay’s previous opus on this subject, 2000’s “Northern Protestants: an Unsettled People”. Her latest book follows a similar format to that previous tome, in that it attempts – primarily from a series of interviews - to paint a portrait of Northern Irish Protestantism through the words of more than 60 members of that community.
And those interviews provide an invaluable insight into the psyche of the Northern Protestant community. In the centenary year of the founding of the Northern Ireland state, McKay finds Unionist and Loyalist politics demoralised and intellectually moribund, without the confidence to articulate the merits and benefits of the union they profess to defend, and on a perpetual hunt for traitors, sell-outs and “Lundys”. But it is on the more personal, human level that “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” is really illuminating.
Susan McKay performs a great service in showing that Unionism / Northern Protestantism is far from a monolith. She makes every effort the capture the voices of Women from a Northern Protestant background – voices which have for decades all too often been marginalised within Ulster Unionism. Similarly, we hear the views of the LGBT community within Northern Protestantism and learn how these people reconcile their sexuality with a political ideology that has more often than not been fiercely intolerant of them.
Although Susan McKay is frequently exasperated with the more unreconstructed, 17th-century-style variants of political Unionism, she writes with a deep empathy and understanding for the community. This is particularly important given how so many of her interview subjects appear to be trying to recover from some level of trauma, whether that be from the sectarian violence of The Troubles or from the addiction and gangsterism that are endemic in many working-class Loyalist estates. Never does McKay come remotely close to resorting to the kind of condescension which can often be the default setting for intellectuals – whether from the Irish Republic or from Britain – when working-class Protestants are being discussed.
If “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” were just an excavation of the level of post-Troubles trauma that exists within Northern Irish society, it would be hugely worthy and a superb achievement. But what elevates Susan McKay’s masterful book is that it challenges our preconceptions about a community that is regularly reviled by their political opponents, and shines a light on the heretofore overlooked diversity within that community. It was this later emerging diversity that left me feeling surprisingly hopeful about Northern Protestantism by the end of the book, and more optimistic that a more forward-looking, less fearful Unionism might yet emerge in Ireland. “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” is essential reading for anybody who has any interest in Northern Ireland, or in the concept of reconciliation.
All of these are reasons why “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” is such a crucial read right now. The veteran journalist Susan McKay (herself from a Northern Protestant background) sets out to widen our understanding of this frequently-maligned group – a people often derided and dismissed even by their putative political allies in Britain. This book comes almost exactly twenty years after Susan McKay’s previous opus on this subject, 2000’s “Northern Protestants: an Unsettled People”. Her latest book follows a similar format to that previous tome, in that it attempts – primarily from a series of interviews - to paint a portrait of Northern Irish Protestantism through the words of more than 60 members of that community.
And those interviews provide an invaluable insight into the psyche of the Northern Protestant community. In the centenary year of the founding of the Northern Ireland state, McKay finds Unionist and Loyalist politics demoralised and intellectually moribund, without the confidence to articulate the merits and benefits of the union they profess to defend, and on a perpetual hunt for traitors, sell-outs and “Lundys”. But it is on the more personal, human level that “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” is really illuminating.
Susan McKay performs a great service in showing that Unionism / Northern Protestantism is far from a monolith. She makes every effort the capture the voices of Women from a Northern Protestant background – voices which have for decades all too often been marginalised within Ulster Unionism. Similarly, we hear the views of the LGBT community within Northern Protestantism and learn how these people reconcile their sexuality with a political ideology that has more often than not been fiercely intolerant of them.
Although Susan McKay is frequently exasperated with the more unreconstructed, 17th-century-style variants of political Unionism, she writes with a deep empathy and understanding for the community. This is particularly important given how so many of her interview subjects appear to be trying to recover from some level of trauma, whether that be from the sectarian violence of The Troubles or from the addiction and gangsterism that are endemic in many working-class Loyalist estates. Never does McKay come remotely close to resorting to the kind of condescension which can often be the default setting for intellectuals – whether from the Irish Republic or from Britain – when working-class Protestants are being discussed.
If “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” were just an excavation of the level of post-Troubles trauma that exists within Northern Irish society, it would be hugely worthy and a superb achievement. But what elevates Susan McKay’s masterful book is that it challenges our preconceptions about a community that is regularly reviled by their political opponents, and shines a light on the heretofore overlooked diversity within that community. It was this later emerging diversity that left me feeling surprisingly hopeful about Northern Protestantism by the end of the book, and more optimistic that a more forward-looking, less fearful Unionism might yet emerge in Ireland. “Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground” is essential reading for anybody who has any interest in Northern Ireland, or in the concept of reconciliation.
October 25, 2024
A fascinating insight into the views, stories, and beliefs of Northern Irish protestants at the start of 2020. I particularly liked how the author allowed individuals to tell their story; highlighted similarities and differences throughout the country; and enabled the reader to gain a real insight into how protestantism has, and is, shaping the lives of those interviewed.
September 1, 2021
This book is a very impressive collection of verbatim interviews with a broad spectrum of people who fall under the umbrella of Northern Protestants.
Susan McKay’s commentary is light touch but incisive. McKay's authorial voice is sparse for most of the book, allowing her interviewees to reveal themselves for better or worse through their own words. I saw another review of this book that expressed disappointment that McKay doesn't offer suggestions for how to fix the problems of northern Irish society. My response to that is: the book promises to hold up a mirror to Northern Protestants and that's exactly what it delivers. Looking for a single book to tell you what to think about the province is a fool's errand in my humble opinion - and that book, if it existed, likely wouldn’t be worth reading.
It's almost impossible to separate my reaction to the interviews in this book from my personal experience of growing up in Belfast (not as a Protestant but Protestant adjacent shall we say) and my current view on the constitutional question. I found the book enlightening and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the north of Ireland, particularly if you fall under the umbrella of Northern Protestant. I would be particularly interested in how liberal unionists react to this book, and the many contradictions in unionism/loyalism that it brings to light. Had I read a book like this as a teenager, I imagine it would have shocked me enough to change my adolescent views on whether it's possible to reconcile left wing ideas with any kind of formalised unionism.
Content warnings for this book: a detailed description of child sexual abuse in the Border section, detailed descriptions of paramilitary/state violence throughout, discussion of suicide and descriptions of domestic violence. I'll add more to this review if I remember others.
Susan McKay’s commentary is light touch but incisive. McKay's authorial voice is sparse for most of the book, allowing her interviewees to reveal themselves for better or worse through their own words. I saw another review of this book that expressed disappointment that McKay doesn't offer suggestions for how to fix the problems of northern Irish society. My response to that is: the book promises to hold up a mirror to Northern Protestants and that's exactly what it delivers. Looking for a single book to tell you what to think about the province is a fool's errand in my humble opinion - and that book, if it existed, likely wouldn’t be worth reading.
It's almost impossible to separate my reaction to the interviews in this book from my personal experience of growing up in Belfast (not as a Protestant but Protestant adjacent shall we say) and my current view on the constitutional question. I found the book enlightening and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the north of Ireland, particularly if you fall under the umbrella of Northern Protestant. I would be particularly interested in how liberal unionists react to this book, and the many contradictions in unionism/loyalism that it brings to light. Had I read a book like this as a teenager, I imagine it would have shocked me enough to change my adolescent views on whether it's possible to reconcile left wing ideas with any kind of formalised unionism.
Content warnings for this book: a detailed description of child sexual abuse in the Border section, detailed descriptions of paramilitary/state violence throughout, discussion of suicide and descriptions of domestic violence. I'll add more to this review if I remember others.
January 23, 2025
There were literally stacks of this book at the airport bookstore in Belfast last fall so I asked for it for my birthday back home in Canada. So coming at this book as a neophyte I certainly got brought up to speed in a hurry. Brief as my visit was to NI I fell head over heels with the whole lot. After reading Susan McKay’s illuminating survey I pray the politicians over there just get out of the way and let those dear people get on with living in the 21st century.
January 30, 2022
A superb piece of work, there is breadth and depth here and it's a recommended read for anyone wanting to gain insight into the many different experiences and perspectives of northern protestants in the early 2020s.
July 4, 2021
Living in Northern Ireland and growing up from mid teens in the midst of an identity crisis, where death and destruction were commonplace and the "other" were always suspect. It was almost impossible to gain any traction on what was really happening. Politics were always reactionary. There was little time to pause and reflect on how others were feeling.
Now with 100 years of the intentional segregation of people on this small island based on their religion; it is timely to ask ordinary people how they feel. Especially those from a unionist/protestant tradition, as they move into the unchartered waters of becoming a minority in a statelet designed to maintain, [what I suggest was the lie which fed) their perception of being in control.
McKay offers a valuable insight into how ordinary people are coping with the looming fundamental changes that are coming. It also offers a wide range of views, from ordinary unionists from a variety of backgrounds on how they feel let down by the political representation they received over the years from the various unionist parties. Earlier this week I was in a bookshop in Lisburn ( Lisburn is a predominately Protestant town, although it has City status) and witnessed 2 customers ask for the book to be told its sold out they placed orders for the reprint. This book will be well read and deserves to be.
Now with 100 years of the intentional segregation of people on this small island based on their religion; it is timely to ask ordinary people how they feel. Especially those from a unionist/protestant tradition, as they move into the unchartered waters of becoming a minority in a statelet designed to maintain, [what I suggest was the lie which fed) their perception of being in control.
McKay offers a valuable insight into how ordinary people are coping with the looming fundamental changes that are coming. It also offers a wide range of views, from ordinary unionists from a variety of backgrounds on how they feel let down by the political representation they received over the years from the various unionist parties. Earlier this week I was in a bookshop in Lisburn ( Lisburn is a predominately Protestant town, although it has City status) and witnessed 2 customers ask for the book to be told its sold out they placed orders for the reprint. This book will be well read and deserves to be.
October 29, 2021
I didn’t interact with Protestants my own age until I went to college as a teenager. Sure, I knew they existed, and they were identifiable by their different school uniforms as they quickly walked through 'our' estate on their way home. They announced themselves during the thunderous parades that would pass close by our house a couple of times a year, when we'd be ushered indoors. It was very much 'us' and 'them'. I helped a protestant man on his milk round, but as we sat and ate sandwiches, we didn’t talk so much. It was more - red top for number 52, make sure Mrs Murphy at 16 pays you for the cream from last week. That sort of thing. We had different schools, played different sports. There were a couple of protestant owned businesses but they were mostly concentrated at one end of the small town we were from. After a riot one year during a loyalist parade, it was noticeable that whilst the old priests house and nearby residences were wrecked, the protestant shops were left alone.
It wasn't until I was sixteen that I met and talked to protestants my own age. Some of them liked the same music as me! We shared a love of similar books and movies! There was an initial wariness but the barriers soon came down, or as much as they could as the conflict was still ongoing. It still wouldn’t have been safe to visit each others areas. But yet, here we were in a shared, safe, space, mingling and socialising together. And hey, now they weren’t wearing those uniforms, the protestant girls……..
That's how it was. And of course it soon removed from me the notion that Protestants in the North of Ireland were one large, groupthinking monolithic block. They weren't then, and they aren't now.
This is an enlightening, sometimes depressing, but ultimately hopeful book I think. It's a completely riveting read, as the author visits communities in each part of the north to gauge opinions on the state of the union and how the protestant community is feeling on a range of issues. Susan McKay first visited this topic twenty years ago, when the north was still basking in the glow of the early days of the ceasefires. There was much genuine optimism back then, with the hope that we would never return to the days of conflict. People wanted to see their communites prosper. And yet, twenty years and what has changed? Firstly, for the better, blood isn't flowing on the streets. But communities aren’t prospering and the seismic tremors of brexit are only beginning to be felt. With changing demographics, many protestant people are feeling insecure about their place in the union. There's constant, unsettling chatter about a poll for a united Ireland, for the first time in years.
Most of the people who are interviewed aren't the same red angry faces we see on our tv's on a daily basis, talking like they are the spokesman (for they are mostly men) for the whole unionist/protestant/loyalist community. Susan talks to artists, entrepreneurs, community activists, bandsmen, church leaders and writers, ex policemen and ex paramillitaries. Victims and survivors too, of course. A true cross section of society.
There’s an effortless flow to the writing in the book, and I especially liked the way Susan McKay represents and moves between the individual voices. The different stories and opinions are wonderfully textured and interwoven, and the author has a real eye for detail. She’s present and offers her own take on things, but it’s never jarring and always eloquent.
I found it an extremely thought provoking book. Many of the participants talk about how they are moving away from orange/green politics to left/right issues which are effecting communities. I was particularly taken with the politics of Dawn Purvis, ex of the PUP, and how she was much more interested in tackling inequality in education, health and gender. Or the frustration felt by Anton, a young gay man who now feels ostracised from his community.
Some of it is familiar and depressing - the threats of violence if the protocol, this months loyalist bogeyman, is not removed. The ultra conversative fire and brimstone views of some of the religious leaders interviewed. And the sheer hopelessness of some of the young people. The pain of people who lost loved ones during the troubles is still understandably raw in many cases, compounded by the governments recent pronouncements on how they are treating the legacy of the troubles. The RHI scandal gets a few mentions too.
What is it to be protestant anyway? Is the rangers fan we meet who's learning Irish any less so? And what about the black female Nigerian rector in rural Fermanagh, where does she fit in?
Ultimately I found there to be much to be optimistic about in the these pages. Feminism in particular is striving for change and you can only feel optimistic with so many driven women featuring strongly, looking to make the shift to issues that need to be tackled. As usual, the politicians, especially of an unionist ilk, are far behind the people when it comes to change and the feeling on the ground. People are less energised and angry about constitutional issues than they have ever been. Ask the mother of three children in the queue for the food bank whilst weathering the cut in universal credit how she feels about the border in the Irish Sea, when she’s wondering whether to pay for food or electricity.
The bogeyman of a United Ireland features on a number of occasions, and I think there's a lot of grounds for optimism there too. With so many progressive people featured, why can't we create a fairer and more equitable society, with one education system, one health system and one progressive, forward thinking, properly green Ireland? Last time I checked, there was orange in the flag too.
It will be interesting to see if Susan revists the topic in twenty years. Maybe the title would be - 'A settled people, on firmer ground', having taken their place in a new Ireland where they had proper representation in parliament, their customs and traditions protected and they weren't subject to the whims of an increasingly weary and hostile westminster government. Much to think about in this vital book.
Review from https://www.bookshelfdiscovery.com
It wasn't until I was sixteen that I met and talked to protestants my own age. Some of them liked the same music as me! We shared a love of similar books and movies! There was an initial wariness but the barriers soon came down, or as much as they could as the conflict was still ongoing. It still wouldn’t have been safe to visit each others areas. But yet, here we were in a shared, safe, space, mingling and socialising together. And hey, now they weren’t wearing those uniforms, the protestant girls……..
That's how it was. And of course it soon removed from me the notion that Protestants in the North of Ireland were one large, groupthinking monolithic block. They weren't then, and they aren't now.
This is an enlightening, sometimes depressing, but ultimately hopeful book I think. It's a completely riveting read, as the author visits communities in each part of the north to gauge opinions on the state of the union and how the protestant community is feeling on a range of issues. Susan McKay first visited this topic twenty years ago, when the north was still basking in the glow of the early days of the ceasefires. There was much genuine optimism back then, with the hope that we would never return to the days of conflict. People wanted to see their communites prosper. And yet, twenty years and what has changed? Firstly, for the better, blood isn't flowing on the streets. But communities aren’t prospering and the seismic tremors of brexit are only beginning to be felt. With changing demographics, many protestant people are feeling insecure about their place in the union. There's constant, unsettling chatter about a poll for a united Ireland, for the first time in years.
Most of the people who are interviewed aren't the same red angry faces we see on our tv's on a daily basis, talking like they are the spokesman (for they are mostly men) for the whole unionist/protestant/loyalist community. Susan talks to artists, entrepreneurs, community activists, bandsmen, church leaders and writers, ex policemen and ex paramillitaries. Victims and survivors too, of course. A true cross section of society.
There’s an effortless flow to the writing in the book, and I especially liked the way Susan McKay represents and moves between the individual voices. The different stories and opinions are wonderfully textured and interwoven, and the author has a real eye for detail. She’s present and offers her own take on things, but it’s never jarring and always eloquent.
I found it an extremely thought provoking book. Many of the participants talk about how they are moving away from orange/green politics to left/right issues which are effecting communities. I was particularly taken with the politics of Dawn Purvis, ex of the PUP, and how she was much more interested in tackling inequality in education, health and gender. Or the frustration felt by Anton, a young gay man who now feels ostracised from his community.
Some of it is familiar and depressing - the threats of violence if the protocol, this months loyalist bogeyman, is not removed. The ultra conversative fire and brimstone views of some of the religious leaders interviewed. And the sheer hopelessness of some of the young people. The pain of people who lost loved ones during the troubles is still understandably raw in many cases, compounded by the governments recent pronouncements on how they are treating the legacy of the troubles. The RHI scandal gets a few mentions too.
What is it to be protestant anyway? Is the rangers fan we meet who's learning Irish any less so? And what about the black female Nigerian rector in rural Fermanagh, where does she fit in?
Ultimately I found there to be much to be optimistic about in the these pages. Feminism in particular is striving for change and you can only feel optimistic with so many driven women featuring strongly, looking to make the shift to issues that need to be tackled. As usual, the politicians, especially of an unionist ilk, are far behind the people when it comes to change and the feeling on the ground. People are less energised and angry about constitutional issues than they have ever been. Ask the mother of three children in the queue for the food bank whilst weathering the cut in universal credit how she feels about the border in the Irish Sea, when she’s wondering whether to pay for food or electricity.
The bogeyman of a United Ireland features on a number of occasions, and I think there's a lot of grounds for optimism there too. With so many progressive people featured, why can't we create a fairer and more equitable society, with one education system, one health system and one progressive, forward thinking, properly green Ireland? Last time I checked, there was orange in the flag too.
It will be interesting to see if Susan revists the topic in twenty years. Maybe the title would be - 'A settled people, on firmer ground', having taken their place in a new Ireland where they had proper representation in parliament, their customs and traditions protected and they weren't subject to the whims of an increasingly weary and hostile westminster government. Much to think about in this vital book.
Review from https://www.bookshelfdiscovery.com
February 13, 2024
I read her previous book on the same topic and a quarter of the way through this one I was inclined to think it’s more of the same. My greatest memory from the aforementioned work being the response from a Ballymoney interviewee to a question (that I can’t remember)‘do you think I’m a darkie? But there is a definite change in the mindset of the Protestant population, especially in the under forties. This cohort is no longer content to follow parental shibboleths and is more than willing to slaughter sacred cows like abortion/Gay marriage/ opposition to immigration. Another notable aspect of the book was the decline in church attendance by the post GFA generation which for me was alarming and disabused me of a belief that nothing had changed in that sphere, especially in the growth of American Style churches like The Vineyard or Green Pastures. But the swing to this type of worship highlights the eschewing of traditional worship like PCI, is itself a form of rejection of the establishment. Is this cohort a group of spiritual gypsies looking for something more than their parents received in the ‘normal’ church services? However, this book is only a snapshot research ( there were also interviews removed due to lack of space) and scientifically we can’t extract any definitive answers because the two main political parties - the red and the green are still as strong now as they were in her first book. Yes there are signs that mindsets are changing and there is a migration to the yellow Alliance but in the event of the doomsday border poll will this liberated cohort resort to their atavistic instinct? Will the previous whiff of cordite be stronger than the current spirit of individual thought? Only time will tell. To conclude, it was a good read and I’d like to see similar work carried out on the Catholic population.
August 10, 2022
An extremely valuable resource to hear a diverse array of voices from Protestant backgrounds. I would agree that the diversity of Protestant opinion (and Republican for that matter) gets lost when discussing the constitutional question or social justice in general. There have been a series of great recent works that address this complexity such as Kerri ní Dochartaigh's *Thin Places* (2022) and Gail McConnell's *Sun Is Open* (2021). The book is largely oral history with a few tidbits of historic background to help the general reader understand some references mentioned by interviewees. McKay clearly sympathizes with a soft unionism. But she doesn't let this colour her interviews by instead letting her interviewees have their say. Myself and another colleague had been conducting interviews in Northern Ireland for two weeks over the summer of 2022 and heard many of these sentiments echoed from the various Protestant (or mixed background) interviewees we spoke with. It is a fascinating time in Northern Ireland given Brexit looming before them along with an election that placed Sinn Fein in power. Although the interviews are from roughly 2018-2021, McKay's book captures the complex reactions people are having to the shifting grounds of Northern Ireland both in terms of domestic and international situations.
August 14, 2021
Verbatim accounts of what it's like to be a Protestant in the complex society of Northern Ireland. The burden of political violence and its effect on people's lives is passed from generation to generation. Burdens too heavy and meaningful to be forgiven or dismissed without formal acknowledgement. The role of religion is paradoxical in NI, despite so many born-again Christians, and many in the community with uncharitable attitudes.
I'd have liked a conclusion that could recommend what could be done to help NI move forwards, or provide an analysis of where it stands now. Instead, the book ends with a summary of some of the interviews. Despite that, it is a book worth reading to understand why it is so difficult to find a way forward in Northern Ireland in 2021.
I'd have liked a conclusion that could recommend what could be done to help NI move forwards, or provide an analysis of where it stands now. Instead, the book ends with a summary of some of the interviews. Despite that, it is a book worth reading to understand why it is so difficult to find a way forward in Northern Ireland in 2021.
May 15, 2022
Susan McKay interviews people from across the North and weaves their stories into the history of the state. This is a compulsive read with views being expressed by Church leaders, community activists, young people, Irish speakers, LGBQT, radical thinkers and many victims. The drawing together of such an eclectic group of people allows the reader to glimpse into their lives and to see that there is not one voice of Protestant people but a myriad of voices that represent positions that are important to them. Voices that are needed to be heard, welcomed and like the rest of us to be challenged appropriately.
July 26, 2023
Bought this after reading Bear in mind these dead, which was excellent.
This is similar going around mainly protestant towns, area's. Chatting to various people from politicians to teenagers to ' hard line ' Christians.
Interesting times for protestants what with the protocols and becoming the minority.
Only thing I don't get is why update and re issue the authors previous book at the same time. Both have same theme so if you don't read the reviews you might not know this is the up to date book.
This is similar going around mainly protestant towns, area's. Chatting to various people from politicians to teenagers to ' hard line ' Christians.
Interesting times for protestants what with the protocols and becoming the minority.
Only thing I don't get is why update and re issue the authors previous book at the same time. Both have same theme so if you don't read the reviews you might not know this is the up to date book.
November 10, 2021
Wow - I mean, just wow. What a collection of information. My only beef is that she's just reporting on what people are saying without fact checking, but I suppose that's the point. I'm a huge fan. My favourite thing about it, is everything queer and art and ni was in here. It gave me insights, as an outsider, I don't think I would have had on my own. It took me forever to read as well, it's dense. But flows well.
August 1, 2022
amazing insight into the complexity of a complex state!!!
Susan Mc Cay brilliantly portrays the mindset of a community under threat. The shift to American Evangelical values and the adherence to fundamentalism is disturbing. However, societal issues appear foremost in the younger generation. The message is get back to power sharing. We’ll done Susan Mc Cay. A brilliant read.
Susan Mc Cay brilliantly portrays the mindset of a community under threat. The shift to American Evangelical values and the adherence to fundamentalism is disturbing. However, societal issues appear foremost in the younger generation. The message is get back to power sharing. We’ll done Susan Mc Cay. A brilliant read.
April 15, 2024
It’s a significant book which highlights the diversity of unionism. Adding depth to the unionist perspective and helps shift the framing of unionism away from the political mainstream.
The book is extremely well written and researched but I found it quite stale and repetitive after the first half.
The book is extremely well written and researched but I found it quite stale and repetitive after the first half.
March 31, 2022
This is simply an important read for anyone who takes an interest in the Irish Question, particularly in the context of Brexit. And for Nationalists, it gives a platform to liberal-minded Protestants that we rarely get to hear.
June 3, 2024
Fascinating insight into the minds of protestants in Northern Ireland through political events and personal stories. Churches get a bit of a bashing in it but shows the shifting attitude to religion here
July 23, 2021
Struct that very few Protestants interviewed could explain their case for maintaining the Union - Susan’s research revealed a great variety of people within Unionism. - well worth the read
October 13, 2021
Informative and readable
November 12, 2023
Essential reading for anyone interested in the politics of Northern Ireland. An exceptional book.
March 29, 2024
A great insight into the thoughts and opinions of the Protestant community and the disservice Unionist politicians do to them. Very engaging and informative and enlightening. Excellent journalism.
August 9, 2023
4.5 stars - an incredible, important book, I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know
March 8, 2022
I had almost forgotten having read Susan's previous "Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People" - it was before I started keeping a record of the books I read and I never owned a copy. But this one resonates more with me... perhaps because I know more of the interviewees, some better than others, and even with those I don't know I recognise the mindset. The author gives the impression of allowing each interviewee to speak for themselves without directly confirming or refuting the veracity of their claims, but as another friend has pointed out she allows some more space to articulate their positions than others. For example with Jim Wells she largely just notes that she met with him and nothing else. But, that said, I think this offers an important record of diverse voices in the wider Northern Irish PUL community (to use a number of contested designations) at this crucial time. The presence of a range of female voices was particularly welcome, though the lack of progressive voices from a male, explicitly loyalist or faith-based perspective doesn't necessarily reflect my experience. They may not be numerous or as loud as others but they do exist. It is unfortunate that the timing of publishing deadlines perhaps squeezed out the ability to record the train wreck of a transition in DUP leadership that was only developing at the time she was writing her epilogue, and the reimergence of the UUP as a serious and marginally progressive force, partly off the back of Robin Swann's handling of the poison chalice of Health Minister during the pandemic (and over and against his previous ineptitude as party leader and the curiously coterminous Venn diagram of Brexiters and anti-vax covid-deniers). We are on really uncertain ground at present, but these are my frustratingly thran and diverse people.
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