Historians Irish Independence

• Roy Foster: the Union had little impact
• B. Bradshaw + S. Deane: criticized revisionists like Foster for undermining Irish "icons" and excusing British failings, especially during the famine
• S.J. Connolly: Union had flaws but could accommodate reforms
• P. Geoghegan: portrays O'Connell as a devout Catholic, believing it defined Irish identity
• R.F. Foster: Fenianism had a limited impact and created a "mentality" rather than a revolutionary movement
• Alan O'Day: failure of home rule was significant as it revealed limitations of parliamentary approaches for dealing with the Irish Question
• James Quinn: Young Irelanders movement was key in shaping a nationalistic Irish identity