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We Don't Know Ourselves

A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958

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We Don't Know Ourselves

By: Fintan O'Toole
Narrated by: Aidan Kelly
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About this listen

Fintan O'Toole, Ireland's leading public intellectual and author of Heroic Failure, tells a history of Ireland in his own time - a brilliant interweaving of memoir and historical narrative.

Fintan O'Toole was born in 1958. His life covers Ireland's journey out of underdevelopment and domination by the Church, to the country's transformation into the relatively prosperous and tolerant society that it is today. But, along the way, there was a sectarian civil war in the North, which cast a dark shadow over the whole island, and bitter struggles for intellectual, civil and sexual freedoms. The Church fought a long rearguard action to defend its entrenched positions in education, healthcare and childcare. The truth about child abuse and institutional cruelty emerged slowly, and women still had to die to make possible the liberalisation of Irish laws on contraception and divorce.

This is a very personal history by a writer who is considered by many to be the country's leading public intellectual. He was a participant in many of the controversies and arguments of the past 35 years and knew the leading literary, musical and political figures of those decades.

©2021 Fintan O'Toole (P)2021 W F Howes Europe Inspiring Thought-Provoking War Law Socialism

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All stars
Most relevant
one of the best books I've ever read. A history of modern Ireland, very relatable, well researched. I have recommended this book to all of my friends, quoted from it.....love it and an going to read it again.Thank you Fintan OToole

Brilliant

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Great book, excellent performance. Brilliant insight. Get it now, you will not regret it.

It's Brilliant

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Razor sharp account of the emergence of modern Ireland, humane, amusing and deeply literate...and above all, compelling and highly enjoyable.

Outstanding work

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It’s a difficult story to tell because of the culture of doublethink and denial that allowed the Catholic Church and politicians to deflect and confuse. It’s a brilliant piece of writing that illuminates a big picture with local detail and precise observations. Passionate, and at times disturbing truth telling.

Writing of passion and subtlety

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From the formation of the state to the aftermath of the Celtic tiger the book speaks to an appalling horror of Catholic Ireland and the brutes and bastards it produced who ruled over us.

An integration of recent Irish history

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