It deals with many of the same themes that Modernist writers like James Joyce dealt with, nationalism, religion, and class. Thus, contemporary Irish literature is highly reflective of the values of Modernist literature. Contemporary Irish literature, however is distinct from modern Irish literature because of this focus on non-mainstream themes. Contemporary Irish literature demonstrates many characteristics of what is termed in academic circles as "Post-Modernism."

Self-Reflexivity and Self-Parody

Contemporary Irish literature also demonstrates the Postmodernist feature of parody and general irreverence. This features is illustrated in "The Cripple of Inishman," where a cripple in Ireland moves to an island off of Inishmore, a town known for its "Irishness," in order to audition for a Hollywood movie. The play is undoubtedly a comedy, yet it deals with the notion of Nationalism and the notion of national character. pokes fun at the mythicization and presentation of Ireland and the Irish by depciting the misrepresentation and mythologizing of Inishmore's colorful assembly of townsmen.

McDonagh's vision of Inishmore is dominated by his self-reflexivity as an Irishmen. His satire is meant to reveal the tendency of the Irish to tell stories about themselves which are not only inaccurate and unfounded but self-limiting. The effect of this habit is illustrated in the misfortune of the townsmen, both the virtuous ones like BabbyBobby and the unvirtuous such as the town gossip Johnny. McDonagh's lesson...

The "Steward of Christendom," for example, deals with the plight of a man left out of the dominant Irish group, the politically anti-British, because he used to work for the British regime as a policemen. In what appears to be an ironic incidence of meta-theater, McDonagh's play, "The Cripple of Inishman," was rejected as true Irish literature because its author was raised an England. In this way, Contemporary Irish literature reveals the disenfranchised and ignored, English-associated Irishmen, within the disenfranchised and ignored, the Irish.
Conclusion

Although contemporary Irish literature indicates major changes in the direction of Irish literature, these changes are ultimately driven by the same feelings and outlook as earlier Irish literature, in fact, of all Irish literature. This is most uncontroversially described as a uniquely critical and dissenting spirit, with a compelling voice for that spirit. Thus, the new directions of Contemporary Irish literature, though a self-conscious reaction to Modern Irish literature can be understood as "Irish literature" at its core.

Ironically, the skeptical spirit of contemporary Irish literature has confronted the very notion of "Irishness" itself. This is somewhat problematic because, by puncturing the very notion of "Irishness" itself, it might serve to de-legitimize the notion of "Irish" literature. Yet, it does not seem to have this effect. In fact, the continuation of that uniquely skeptical voice serves to legitimize and clarify the notion of "Irish literature."

Bibliography

McDonagh, Martin. The Cripple of Inishmaan. New York: Vintage Books, 1998. Print.

Barry, Sebastian. The Steward of Christendom. London: Methuen Drama in association with the Royal Court Theatre, 1995. Print.