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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
A cerebral and insightful reflection upon a period of history through which myself and Mr O’Toole have both lived. I don’t agree with all his positions and I think his views on the Church could benefit from more conversations with key church figures who would certainly talk to him. The reader on Audible is inaccurate in many places and mispronounces many Irish words.

A worthwhile reflection

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An excellent book, and well read and presented. Fintan O'Toole's book is honest,clear and disconcerting.....but essential.

I'll miss this book and the reader.

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A fascinating insight into the development of modern Ireland through the eyes of Fintan O Toole. Very well written and performed. Highly enjoyable and thought provoking.

Fascinating

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Wonderfully written and thoughtfully argued. Funny, infuriating, fascinating, entertaining and sad - Ireland really has been on a wild ride.

A brilliant modern history of Ireland

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Absolute fantastic

If you listen to nothing else this year
Let this be the one .
Wrote with a humble style from an onlookers viewpoint without trying to be centre stage .

An accurate description of Ireland’s history of the last 60 years written and narrated with brilliance.
It will take you back to where we came from and re live every moment .
I genuinely have never enjoyed a book more

Amazing listen . A classic .

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