Constituting Identity

This volume attempts to analyze the contradictory notions of citizenship posited by postcolonial Irish constitutional discourse. In the postcolonial period of Ireland's history, Irish citizenship has been marked by a conflict between foundational nationalist notions of the nation and a more liberal narrative of individual autonomy. This splintering into competing class, economic and other identity positions is at odds with the search for an Ireland, uncomplicated, cohesive and immutable. Patrick Hanafin does not set out to find a single definition as to what it means to be an Irish citizen, but rather to try and understand the different definitions already available. He analyzes "Irishness" within the context of culture and the law in Ireland and considers how representative the constitution, drawn up by individuals, is when reflecting Ireland as a whole.