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We Don't Know Ourselves
- A Personal History of Ireland Since 1958
- Narrated by: Aidan Kelly
- Length: 22 hrs and 12 mins
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We Don't Know Ourselves
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Summary
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.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Auntie Kappy Tallest
- 06-01-22
Outstanding cultural analysis
I'm under a decade younger than Fintan, the offspring of immigrants to Ireland from a secular, liberal social-democratic culture. Fintan's analysis of how the cruelty of the church hierarchy and the corruption of the kleptocratic political class existed as unnameable knowns in Ireland is spot on. I'm sad he didn't tell the story of the death of Savita Halappanavar. This was the event that tipped the balance towards abortion rights in this country.
We're not out of the woods yet; the vast majority of primary schools in Ireland (approximately 3,300) are church controlled (over 90% by the Catholic church and about 6% by Protestant churches). The state pays for the upkeep of schools, but it does not establish them. Conscientious atheists cannot hold the office of President, Judge, Taoiseach (Prime Minister), or other offices of the Council of State because, in order to take office, it's necessary to swear a religious oath, the wording of which is in the Constitution.
Fintan uses the experiences of his own life as anchors from which to hang many of the stories in this book. He doesn't overdo it - this is not an autobiography. It's exactly as described, a personal (and subjective!) history.
If you're born and bred here, or if you're a first or second generation immigrant, or if you've moved abroad and want to understand the Irish psyche, this book will clarify a great deal for you.
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15 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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- Byl
- 13-05-22
Joyless look back by an Elite insider
This put years on me and I lived through the time.
The author was born into a relatively well off family, a family with a mother and father who had a good job and lived in a new house with an inside bathroom and still managed to be miserable.
He became and insider and one of Irelands elites and now decides to tell all about the inner workings of the Elites world,it would of been better if he told us back then.
And no he cannot escape his failure of his journalistic duty by saying we all knew. No we did not!
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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- DPPH
- 18-12-21
A worthwhile reflection
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.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- I.am.will
- 06-01-22
Deserved Irish book of the year
Excellently written analysis of modern Ireland, told with humorous & moving personal stories. Should be of interest to immigrants to Ireland to understand why the Irish are like we are & also to young Irish who did’nt live through a church controlled state & forced emigration. Good to hear the more in depth knowledge of one of Ireland’s best journalist on many stories over the last 60yrs.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 28-12-21
An important read.
After a few chapters, I bought this book for my father (born in 1948) in hardback so that I could check-in and cross reference passages from the book with what his take on those events were. This was the greatest educational piece I've read as an adult. An important read for anyone who had lived or lives in Ireland.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Mrs W
- 28-01-22
If you love a good story, this is it.
I loved this book, having read a few books on Irish history post 1916. This one is different and looks at Eire and Ulster thru' the eyes of the author during his lifetime. He isn't afraid to show the dark side but there is also warmth and humour. It's a long listen but beautifully read by the narrator. This has been my COVID companion while I isolate and I couldn't have asked for better.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Trevor Hunter
- 17-01-22
Brilliant Look at Modern Irish History
Brilliant tour of modern Irish History. Author uses stories from his own personal experience and those of his family to illustrrate and illuminate the way things were.This may change your perspective on your parents and grandparents generation and go some way towards explaining why we are the way we are. While doing all this the book still manages to be highly entertaining which is no mean feat. Thanks Fintan.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Patrick O'Neill
- 08-01-22
Facing up to ourselves
really enjoyed listening. I was born in 1986 to English mother and Irish father. hearing anecdotal tales of what Ireland was like was almost as unrelatable as hearing myths about ancient Greece and Rome.
no doubt uncomfortable listening for many but it's worth listening to for any person trying to get their head around the Irish, especially Irish people themselves.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Mary D.
- 23-12-21
I'll miss this book and the reader.
An excellent book, and well read and presented. Fintan O'Toole's book is honest,clear and disconcerting.....but essential.
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3 people found this helpful
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- D. Fitzgerald
- 20-10-21
A hymn to whistleblowers
A forensic history of religious, nationalist and consumerist mythologies viewed from one small island.
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3 people found this helpful