How far do these sources support the view that Irish nationalism remained a "curious blend of conservative Catholicism and political radicalism" between c.1820 and 1921?

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How far do these sources support the view that Irish nationalism remained a “curious blend of conservative Catholicism and political radicalism” between c.1820 and 1921?

The question asked is a difficult one to answer, as phrases and words used are difficult to define.  “conservative Catholicism”, “political radicalism” and “Irish nationalism” are all phrases that will be defined differently by different people, depending on their perspective.  Another factor that could alter the definitions would be the period of time, as a certain group that ‘changed the face’ of Irish nationalism, such as the Fenians, may not have surfaced.

  “Curious” implies that the fusion of “conservative Catholicism” and “political radicalism” is abnormal.  It is defined by Collins Thesaurus as bizarre, extraordinary or rare.  

   “Blend” implies smoothness, and unification; Collins Thesaurus defines it as amalgam, amalgamation or fusion.

 Of the seven sources from which I base my evidence, two are not first hand.  Source 3 was written in 1971, and source two in 1989.  This means that they are less likely to be accurate and/or 100 percent reliable as they can only rely on other people’s documentation written at the time in order to make their case, and can only present their interpretation of the events and period of time.

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  On the first read of the sources, certain things stand out more distinctly than others, and links between sources instantly develop.  Taking the sources at face value, it becomes clear which sources support and which oppose the view.

  Source three; E. Norman’s A History of Modern Ireland¸ is the only source that cannot be seen to support or oppose the view that Irish nationalism remained a “curious blend of conservative Catholicism and political radicalism”.  Instead, he has divided Irish nationalism into his own two categories: radicals and true nationalists.  

  In order to choose these sectors he ...

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