The Open Secret of Ireland

"The Open Secret of Ireland" by T. M. Kettle is a detailed look into the historical and political ties between England and Ireland in the early 1900s. It explores the big ideas of nationalism and the struggle for Ireland to govern itself, known as Home Rule. Kettle's writing tries to make the issues between the two countries clearer, hoping that English readers will better understand the Irish point of view. The book begins by saying that to really get what's going on with Ireland, you need to understand how the English think. Kettle points out the unfair things that have happened in the past and how British rule has held Ireland down, arguing that this makes the Irish naturally want to be free and have justice. He thinks that not seeing Ireland as its own nation with the right to rule itself has caused a lot of bad feelings. This part of the book gets ready to prove that if England and Ireland want to get along, they need to admit that Ireland has been wronged in the past and that it has the right to make its own decisions.