In the shadow of history by Agnès Maillot, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters

From 1926 onward, Sinn Fein, which had been instrumental in the revolutionary period of 1919-23, faded into oblivion as a result of its intransigent and doctrinaire stance. This book unravels a chapter of history that has not been dealt with in detail until now, although the operation of theparty raises fundamental questions on issues such as democracy and the role of history in the construction of a national narrative. Through a close analysis of newspaper reports of the fortnightly Standing committee minutes and through the study of interviews carried out by the author, it looks atthe manner in which Sinn Fein operated and put itself forward as the guardian of republicanism in Ireland. Its constant preoccupation with destroying the institutions sheds light on the value that was put on political and democratic representation, a criticism that is still levied to this dayagainst Sinn Fein. In this specific regard, the party was seen as being, if not revolutionary, at least subversive and was dealt with as such by successive governments; the rapprochement with the IRA in the late 1940s compounding this process. Sinn Fein's strategic journey and the type of political nationalism that it advocated offer a valuable insight into the meaning of Republicanism. Its narrative represents an integral part of the political and social fabric of contemporary Irish society which will be of relevance not only toacademics and scholars but to all readers with an interest in Irish republicanism. | In the shadow of history by Agnès Maillot, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters