Trinity College Dublin professor Michael Cronin argues that Ireland has lost its connection to its geography, retreating into a digital and air-travel-dependent mindset that ignores its fundamental reality as an island nation. Published by the Royal Irish Academy, Cronin’s monograph Ireland: Why It Matters to Be an Island explores how this psychological withdrawal undermines climate action and national identity.
The Psychological Retreat from Islandness
Cronin contends that Irish society has actively sought to transcend its island status due to historical associations with insularity and backwardness. This avoidance has accelerated through modern air travel, which allows citizens to travel abroad without experiencing the surrounding ocean, and the digital revolution, which keeps people indoors staring at screens while nature is reduced to a remote abstraction. According to Cronin, this mental retreat is a critical barrier to addressing the climate crisis because effective environmental stewardship requires a deep understanding of one’s immediate geographical reality.
Consequences of the Great Withdrawal
The middle section of Cronin’s work details the tangible outcomes of this detachment from the land and sea. He criticizes the marginalization of geography as a subject in secondary schools, the construction of housing developments on vulnerable flood plains, and a rural culture focused more on possession than dwelling. Cronin challenges politicians and activists who frame global warming strictly as a technical puzzle, arguing that if it were, the climate problem would have been solved years ago.
Proposals for Ecological Sovereignty
To reverse this trend, Cronin outlines several radical policy proposals aimed at restoring a sustainable relationship with the environment. His suggestions include establishing an all-Irish-speaking university, introducing parliamentary seats dedicated to animal spokespeople, and reviving Brehon Law principles that formally recognize the rights of nature. Through these measures, Cronin advocates for an “ecological sovereignty” that encourages modern islanders to reconnect with the surrounding waters and wild landscapes.
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