{{Short description|Irish phrase}} "'''Official Ireland'''" ({{Langx|ga|Éire Oifigiúil}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tuairisc.ie/an-tuachtaran-le-homos-a-leiriu-don-bhreitheamh-hardiman-ag-comhdhail-na-gcoimisineiri-teanga-anocht/|title=An tUachtarán le hómós a léiriú don Bhreitheamh Hardiman ag Comhdháil na gCoimisinéirí Teanga anocht|date=7 March 2016 |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/cnag/docs/ag_deileail_le_frithghaelachas/21|title=Ag Déileáil le FrithGhaelachas - Colm Ó Broin - 2010|date=12 March 2013 |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gaeilgesanastrail.com/docs/anl059.pdf|title = Index of /Docs}}</ref>) is a term widely used in the Republic of Ireland to denote The Establishment. It refers to the most powerful figures in the media, the Catholic Church, and the political parties, who control the national debate.
It generally denotes support for constitutional Irish republicanism, private property, the Catholic Church, libertarianism in economics, Gaelicisation and Irish language revival, and rural life.<ref name="auto">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EU4NqA7RIHUC&q=%22Official+Ireland%22&pg=PA426|title=A Sociology of Ireland|first1=Hilary|last1=Tovey|first2=Perry|last2=Share|date=1 January 2003|publisher=Gill & Macmillan Ltd|isbn=9780717135011|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oo-u0p31yjQC&q=%22Official+Ireland%22&pg=PA121|title=Re-imagining Ireland|first=Andrew Higgins|last=Wyndham|date=1 January 2006|publisher=University of Virginia Press|isbn=9780813925448|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qFCgBAAAQBAJ&q=%22Official+Ireland%22&pg=PA163|title=Rethinking Northern Ireland: Culture, Ideology and Colonialism|first=David|last=Miller|date=25 September 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781317884781|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vuH4AwAAQBAJ&q=%22Official+Ireland%22&pg=PT194|title=Ireland in Brick and Stone: The Island's History in Its Buildings|first=Richard|last=Killeen|date=19 September 2012|publisher=Gill & Macmillan Ltd|isbn=9780717153626|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IBXwDQAAQBAJ&q=%22Official+Ireland%22&pg=PT10|title=The Books That Define Ireland|first1=Bryan|last1=Fanning|first2=Tom|last2=Garvin|date=3 March 2014|publisher=Merrion Press|isbn=9781908928672|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FagYDAAAQBAJ&q=%22Official+Ireland%22&pg=PA54|title=Writing Ireland's Working Class: Dublin After O'Casey|first=M.|last=Pierse|date=30 April 2016|publisher=Springer|isbn=9780230299351|via=Google Books}}</ref>
==History== The term was first used by footballer and journalist Eamon Dunphy.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/when-john-waters-met-eamon-dunphy-1.1554145|title=When John Waters met Eamon Dunphy|newspaper=The Irish Times |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/dunphy-baby-you-ve-clearly-jumped-the-fence-1.524162|title=Dunphy baby, you've clearly jumped the fence|newspaper=The Irish Times |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccer-ireland.com/football-books/irish/rocky-road.htm|title=The Rocky Road : Eamon Dunphy : Autobiography : Book Review|website=www.soccer-ireland.com|date=5 January 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/controversial-selection-dunphys-starting-eleven-26623210.html|title=Controversial Selection dunphy's Starting Eleven - Independent.ie|date=16 January 2010 |publisher=}}</ref>
Dr. Elaine Byrne has said ''"Official Ireland is predominantly male, over 50 and earners over €100,000. For the most part, it includes the speakers at this MacGill summer school]] and those that attend it. Official Ireland is characterised by the sameness of people in positions of power which means a uniformity of decision-making. This closed-minded conformism dismisses and belittles anyone who opposes the group consensus.''"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macgillsummerschool.com/official-ireland/|title=OFFICIAL IRELAND - MacGill Summer School|website=www.macgillsummerschool.com|date=15 April 2014}}</ref>
In recent times, the economist David McWilliams has repeatedly criticised the response of the so-called "Official Ireland" to the Great Recession of the late 2000s and early 2010s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/david-mcwilliams/david-mcwilliams-official-ireland-got-this-horribly-wrong-there-is-no-plan-b-34831972.html|title=David McWilliams: Official Ireland got this horribly wrong, there is no Plan B - Independent.ie|date=25 June 2016 |publisher=}}</ref> Jonathan Sugarman also used the term in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/financial-services/official-ireland-has-absolutely-and-completely-destroyed-the-lives-of-every-single-whistleblower-1.3047523|title=► VIDEO: 'Official Ireland has absolutely and completely destroyed the lives of every single whistleblower'|website=www.irishtimes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/whistleblower-jonathan-sugarman-oireachtas-3338696-Apr2017/|title='Official Ireland has destroyed the lives of every person who's come forward' - Banking whistleblower testifies to Oireachtas|first=Paul|last=Hosford|date=13 April 2017 |publisher=}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
Category:Ethnic groups in Ireland Category:Political terminology Category:Oligarchy Category:Politics of the Republic of Ireland