Was Ireland conquered? : international law and the Irish question / Anthony Carty.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 167-196) and index.

1. The General International Law Framework and its Applicability to Ireland -- 2. Legal Title by Conquest: Norman, English and British Perspectives -- 3. Irish Perspectives of the Conquest and the Foundation of the Irish Claim to Self-Determination -- 4. The Anglo-Irish Perspective: Was Ireland Really Conquered? -- 5. The Question of the Legitimacy of the 'Protestant' Presence in Ulster/Northern Ireland -- 6. Irreconcilable Identities: The Aftermath of Conquest -- 7. The Question of Repartition.

In this original work Anthony Carty traces the legal origins of the conquest and settlement of Ireland. Beginning with the incursions of the twelfth century, Carty uses the international law concepts of conquest and colonisation to decipher why the Normans, and later the English and the British, believed they had a right to occupy Ireland. The legal argument that the association with Britain is based on consent is also examined. Carty demonstrates that modern-day questions on Ireland - such as whether the majority in Northern Ireland can assert for themselves the right of self-determination and whether the Catholic nationalists can achieve liberation from the United Kingdom - can be informed by an understanding of international law.

Throughout the book Carty's argument is that law is not a stand-alone pragmatic activity, but requires an independent stance critical to those in power.