Ireland is at such an interesting point in its history, coming up to a century of independence. The Naked Irish: Portrait of a Nation Beyond the Clichés is an examination of the national stereotypes, and a reminder that they are not set in stone.
Described by the Business Post as a “high definition snapshot of a country in flux”, The Naked Irish draws on Irish culture, history, politics and economics, as well as personal reportage and memoir.
Are the Irish a nation of emigrants if we have the second highest foreign-born population in Europe? Are we Catholic if attendance at Mass is as low as two percent in some parishes? Do we really hate the English and want a united Ireland? Is the oppression of women in our DNA? And are the Irish really friendly or just faking it?
All these questions and more are answered in The Naked Irish, which covers everything from the Penal Laws to the Magdalene Laundries to the Troika. You can read an extract from the book published in The Irish Times online edition.
The Naked Irish is available directly from Mentor Books or from bookshops all over Ireland. The book is also available for international delivery from bookdepository.com and Amazon.