Texts about Ireland and Northern Ireland

The Sniper

The events take place sometime during the Irish Civil War in the 1920s. The social setting presents the tense atmosphere, noticeable during wartime. The author’s message is that war is extremely cruel and it can even make members of the same family kill each other for a political cause, causing alienation, shock, and remorse.

To Keep the Faith

The main theme of the story is the conflict in Northern Ireland and its repercussions. In the story, one of the characters has become a victim of the Catholics, while another character has died in a cross fire in the city of Derry.

Walking the Dog | Analysis

The story suggests a tense, violent social context during the Troubles which has become the norm. The writer’s message is that when power is abused, people become trapped like dogs on a leash.

Father and Son

The setting of "Father and Son" is the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The story is about the way a violent context negatively influences the relationship between a father and his son.

Good Girl

In “Good Girl”, there are two different references to violence. There is violence at the general level of society during the Troubles and the violence the main character was subjected to by other children. The first type of violence - the political one - was the cause of the second. The story mentions the peace talks and ceasefire agreements during the conflict.

Cyprus Avenue

"Cyprus Avenue" is set in contemporary times. The story suggests the present racial prejudices against Irish people and the fears of British authorities. The story also describes how many people from Northern Ireland chose to leave Northern Ireland for good.

No Angel | Analysis

The main character of the story has to deal with the grief of losing all her family as her brother died during the Troubles in Northern Ireland and her mother died grieving her brother. This surrealist story shows that a way to deal with loss is to accept it instead of fighting it.

Belfast Protests Leaving Scars on Schoolchildren | Analysis

The main theme of the article is the impact of the conflict in Northern Ireland. A sub-theme of the article is the effects of political conflicts on children. The article also touches upon the Good Friday Agreement (The Belfast Agreement) from 1998.