An Irish-language book as a tool for shaping the national culture of a new state

Abstract

The result of the Irish struggle for autonomy and the abolition of centuries of dependence on English rulers was the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922 (Irish Saorstát Éireann). Like other European nations, in striving for independence, the Irish often used the historical argument, citing the separateness of their own culture. One of its elements is the language and the book culture associated with its use. This article introduces the book policy adopted by the government of the new state at a time when Irish was out of use and points out some of the problems associated with the creation of Irish-language literature, including a small number of authors writing in Irish and the lack of language and publication standards. In addition, the situation in the Irish-language book was complicated by censorship resulting from the recommendations of the government, which treated the book as a tool not only in language planning, but also in shaping the wider culture of Ireland - its ethos and the image of a citizen of a new state. The Irish book is also presented as a carrier of symbols important for Ireland, and actions taken to revive Irish culture are shown in a broader context by comparing some aspects of Irish history to the situation in Poland after independence.