Conclusion
Enda DelaneyAbstract
This conclusion examines Ireland’s transformation from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century, emphasizing shifts in authority, social structures, and belief systems. The story of Irish modernity is one of adaptation, resistance, and redefinition rather than a simple break from the past. The Great Famine, national education, and Catholic middle-class influence eroded established customs. British colonial institutions expanded control, while industrialization and land reforms altered rural life. Transnational migration shaped Irish identity, with exiles forming diasporic communities. The rise of nationalism and political revolution reflected broader modernization trends. Enlightenment ideals of rationality and progress replaced pre-modern traditions, ensuring middle-class dominance of political nationalism.