The invocations of God have a reality in these idioms which is certainly lost in the English 'goodbye' and the Spanish 'adios'. The theological orientation of this mindset is also tellingly evoked in the use of the wonderfully sensitive term duine le Dia. Such expressions as Dia dhuit, Dia's Muire dhuit, Dia's Muire dhuit's Padraig and Beannacht De ort communicate something of the theocentric quality of the Irish mindset. ONE obvious illustration of the seamlessness of the sacred and secular in Ireland is to be found in the language itself a subject which is compulsory throughout all the years of schooling. By prescribing a curriculum which includes Irish, history, geography and literature, the State automatically ensures that young people are introduced simultaneously to both their national and religious heritages. The relationship between culture and religion has resulted in what the historian Colm Lennon has described as a 'seamlessness of the sacred and secular spheres' in Irish life. The religious dimension derives from the intimate connection between Irish culture and Christianity rather than because the State is doing the work of the church. This is their religious aspect which people from outside the country often find particularly striking. There is, however, something unusual in the beliefs and commitments which the Irish State fosters in its citizens. We are encouraged to believe that a contrived notion of European citizenship is necessary to secure reasonable and practical co-operation between nations. Through the use of a more extravagant proselytism than ever was used to create nation states in the past, an attempt is being made to add a further layer of political allegiance to the loyalties of citizens of nations which already have long civic traditions of their own. They then used this newly appropriated authority to promote a uniform cultural and religious identity which would serve to integrate the inhabitants of their kingdoms.Ī similar project is in train today to promote the notion of a European civic and cultural identity. For example, at the time of the Reformation, rulers assumed for themselves the authority to 'command for truth' and to educate. States have always considered this part of their mission. Although there seems to me to be some truth in this, the roles of Church and State are not as separate as is assumed by Prof Nolan.īut firstly let me point out that, governments usually endeavour to cultivate a sense of national identity in their citizens. IN AN article in this column in April, the Rev Prof Michael Nolan argued that the State is more important than the Catholic Church in fashioning the beliefs and identity of Irish citizens.

Irish cultural values