ABSTRACT
The question of whether Ireland is non-colonial, colonial, or postcolonial is hotly contested, and archaeologists (like historians and other scholars) have yet to reach a consensus on an answer (Ruane 1992). One’s view on the question of Irish post-colonialism, or even of a colonial past, is largely a reflection of one’s political views. Though perhaps a gross oversimplification, those generally to the right of the political spectrum tend to downplay colonialism (and thus deny a postcolonial condition), while those to the left argue that Ireland was indeed colonial in the past and that it now exhibits many of the characteristics of a postcolonial society.
