Small Differences: Irish Catholics and Irish Protestants, 1815-1922, an International Perspective (McGill Queen's Studies in the History of Religion)

Deals directly with the question of whether cultural differences between Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics have had significant and casually important effects on the behaviour of the two groups. The conclusion of the author's analysis is that, based on the research of the Irish in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and United States as well as in Ireland itself, there are few significant social or economic differences between the two groups. In actual fact the author found indications of fundamental similarities. In view of this observation, the author asks the question that given the demonstrated opinions of Irish Catholics and Protestants, what factors in Irish society have kept them at loggerheads? The author focuses on Irish taboos against inter-marriage, the segregation in education, and the nature of Protestant and Catholic belief.