Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People

by Susan McKay

First published in 2000, Northern Protestants is widely recognized as a ground-breaking book. This updated edition covers events since 2000.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Ireland, History, Irish Literature, Religion, Cultural

412 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

Susan McKay is a journalist and commentator who previously served as Northern editor of the Sunday Tribune.

Reviews

[Allan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me a fair while to read, and to be honest I found it a bit of a slog for a number of reasons.

Originally published in 1998, McKay set out to give Protestants from Northern Ireland the chance to have their viewpoint represented, giving exposure to opinions supposedly ignored by mainstream media. As someone who grew up in that community, I bought the book having seen part of a quote by David Ervine, the late Loyalist forward thinking politician, who said that 'I wish that every Protestant and every unionist should read it'. I wish I'd seen the first part of the same quote, 'The problem that I had with this book was that it was true and frightening and painful...', because, although I came away with these sentiments myself, I'd probably not have bought it.

The book, which is relentlessly negative, and in my eyes far too long, features interviews with Protestants in six different geographical areas, in addition to a section dealing with Protestant academics. Aside from those interviewed in North Down, I found many of the opinions expressed offensive, even frightening, and McKay, despite being a Protestant herself, pulls no punches in her description of what she sees as well as what she hears. Particularly galling was the Portadown chapter, which included interviews given around the time of the worst of the Drumcree crisis in 1998, when even the sectarian murder of three young boys was excused by many supposedly God fearing people in the Orange Order and Unionist political parties.

Things have moved on further in the country since this 2005 edition, with the bogeyman Paisley leading the DUP into government with Sinn Fein following decommissioning of IRA weapons-definite progress. Saying this, in recent years, in working class Loyalist communities, the idea that 'they get everything and we get nothing' has resulted in serious unrest at various times, while in govt we have a mandatory coalition with politicians more concerned with sectarian point scoring than social progress.

Were McKay to write this book today, on reflection, in some areas I'd be pretty worried about what she'd find. And on reflection, for my own sense of wellness, I'd probably avoid reading her findings...

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a piece of journalism this book is very well researched and manages to cover most if not all of the varied, neutral and extreme views of the Protestant people across Northern Ireland. In undertaking these interviews McKay has established that there is massive variation across this community and that the more extreme views are still very much alive although largely within the working classes and less intrigated areas of Northern Ireland, both across the country as a whole and within towns and cities. While McKay does manage to remain pretty impartial throughout much of the book there are moments that hint at her agreement with those she is speaking to, although this is not always a bad thing as some of those interviewed do managed to talk sense with hopes of reconciliation and peace. And although this is a book about the Protestent community, I bet that if you switched the religions, churches and events around this could so very easily be about the Catholic community as both sides talk of feelings of hatred, betrayal and disillusionment, but until they realise this things will never changes, especially if some of those views recorded here continue as they are. I think this is a book that all sides should read, as it shows the reality of such views as pointless, wasteful and in some cases just down right absurd.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Mike,
Hope this carries many memories of our beautiful country!
Love,
Claire
x” reads the inside title page of my copy, which was the cheapest copy I could find of this book online. Weird inscription based on the contents. Is this a Republican voice or a unionist? Bizarre either way. Telling that Mike likely sold it or gave it away. There is no obvious sign that Mike ever read it.

Anyway, Susan McKay’s work combines interview, history, and narrative styles to paint a relatively comprehensive picture of Protestant views in the north of Ireland. I feel better informed for having read it and am excited to read McKay’s other work.

[Dsd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book from Mckay.
Then again the subject matter , ulster's protestants, are strange bunch.
20 year gap between this book and her new one , and the doom and gloom from them is still the same.
Minds stuck somewhere in 1600s
Read 3 of Mckays books recently and all 3 were excellent. .

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being Irish, I recognised all the places that were mentioned, and have been in most of them. Others probably would appreciate a map or a series of maps that would help them to visualise the place under discussion. The same point obviously applies to the sequel to this volume written 20 years later - Northern Protestants: On Shifting Ground.

[Fran]

A thought provoking and unsettling read. Interesting approach reporting, more or less, in their own voice but difficult to know what was edited out or how the questions were framed. Nonetheless, very believable.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tackled this book to give myself a more in-depth and well rounded view of Northern Ireland and hopefully be better placed to answer knowledgeably when people ask me questions about just what all that fussin' and a-feudin' was all about.

The book's introduction is so badly written that I almost considered giving up there and then (I can appreciate the tragedy of a young woman's murder without being told that she was shot between 'her beautiful eyes'), but once the author - a journalist - ditched the purple prose and got on with being a journalist it was much, much better. I can't say that I am now an expert but, as this book melds together 60 in-depth interviews with Protestants from all across the political and economic spectrum in Northern Ireland, it was often an illuminating read.

However, as it was published in 2000, it's eight years out of date so, after all my effort, I'm not that up to speed with the current climate. At one point the book quotes a loyalist from a security forces family who had lost many of his relatives in IRA attacks:

"The only people in this country thinks there's peace is the ones never had a war in the first place".

Which, I guess, is probably still true, in the estates where the flags and bunting are still flapping.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were times when this was hard to follow, as I imagine the situation in Northern Ireland is on the ground. Well-written, very balanced portrait of Protestants and the different ways that class and background combine to influence perspective.

[Anthony Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! A fascinating insight into "the other side".

[Keith Mckenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read, insightful

[Ciara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was dying to get my hands on this book and it did not disappoint. Susan Mckay is a great writer and the book provides some fascinating insights.