Brian Friel’s Aristocrats and Philadelphia, Here I Come! take place approximately a decade apart, with the latter set in 1962 and the former in the mid-1970s. Despite depicting vastly different families, the two plays are both set in Ballybeg, the fictional Donegal town featured in several of Friel’s plays.
“He must primarily be himself, highly individual, but he is also THE IRISHMAN who appears to conform — and does — but who leaves.” – Brian Friel, on Philadelphia, Here I Come!
The ‘60s and ‘70s saw Ireland in a period of transition. The beginning of the 20th century had been characterized by the struggle for Irish independence, the partition of the island, and the establishment of a new political order, marked by events like the Easter Rising in 1916, the War of Independence from 1919-1921, and the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Political leader Eamon De Valera – who served three terms as Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and once as president between 1937 and 1973 – sought to disentangle Ireland from British influence after independence was achieved. A new Irish identity was modeled on traditional, conservative values and tied up in the rule of the Catholic Church, which had become a key proponent of Irish nationalism.
By the 1960s, Ireland was moving away from this conservatism and toward a more modern and secular society. As the grip of the Catholic Church on societal norms began to loosen, a tension between traditional Irish culture and a more modern Ireland began to take place, particularly between generations. This social and cultural shift, combined with Ireland’s changing economic landscape, was a catalyst for the decline of the aristocracy.
“Ballybeg Hall — From Supreme Court to Sausage Factory” — Eamon, Aristocrats
Following the Irish War of Independence in 1922, the once-powerful Anglo-Irish aristocracy found itself grappling with cultural and economic challenges. The predominantly Protestant aristocracy had played a major role in Irish politics and owned estates which sometimes exceeded 2,000 acres in size, in stark contrast to the Catholic majority. However, there were in fact Catholic members of this social class – such as the O’Donnell family in Aristocrats – who were removed from their fellow Catholics socially, economically, and even physically with the dominance of what was known in Ireland as the “big house”.
The term “big house” refers to the grand country residences of the landed gentry, symbolizing both social and economic privilege. These houses were not just dwellings but hubs of economic activity, surrounded by farmland which the aristocracy rented to tenant farmers who cultivated the land. Tenant farmers were vulnerable to crop failure, had limited security, and were subject to their landlords.
This dynamic between aristocratic landlords and tenant farmers changed at the turn of the 20th century. The Irish Land Acts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries sought to break up large estates and transfer land ownership to tenant farmers. During the War of Independence and the Civil War, approximately 275 big houses were burned by the Irish Republican Army, since they symbolized an oppressive age-old social order which was at odds with the fight for an independent and equal Ireland. Due to both this destruction and the land reforms, 80% of the land had been transferred to tenants by the end of World War I. Today, some big houses stand as preserved
landmarks, offering glimpses into Ireland’s past and representing both historical grandeur and the inequality of a bygone era.
“I’ve stuck around this hole far too long. I’m telling you, it’s a bloody quagmire, a backwater, a dead-end! And everybody in it goes crazy sooner or later! Everybody!” – Gar Public, Philadelphia, Here I Come!
Ireland was plagued by economic challenges in the 1950s, with high unemployment rates and low wages leaving many with limited career prospects, especially the younger generation. The small farm rural economy was in an irreversible decline and the state did not fill the gap with the development of new industries. Emigration, which had long been commonplace in Ireland, prevailed, as a significant number sought better economic opportunities abroad. This was spurred on by the advances in transportation making international travel more accessible than ever, and emigration became a tempting choice for those feeling stuck in rural areas. In the 1950s, Ireland – which had a population of under three million – lost approximately half a million people to emigration.
This emigration wave was not entirely novel, considering Ireland’s history of migration due to causes like the Great Famine, economic hardships, and colonial influence. In 1955, the Commission on Emigration noted that leaving the island was now ‘a part of the generally accepted pattern of life’.
“That was across the border — away in the north.” – Alice, Aristocrats
By the late 1960s, tensions were escalating in Northern Ireland, particularly between the Catholic nationalist minority and the unionist-dominated government, which favored the Protestant majority. Inspired by civil rights movements in the US, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association demanded an end to discrimination faced by the Catholic minority in areas such as housing and employment.
In August 1969, a peaceful civil rights march in Derry turned violent when the police used batons and water cannons against the protesters; two days later, the Battle of the Bogside began when violence broke out between police and Catholic residents in Derry’s Bogside community. The deployment of British troops to the area in response to rising tensions marked a turning point for the North, leading to a prolonged period of military involvement in the region.
While Aristocrats and Philadelphia, Here I Come! may not directly engage with The Troubles, they exist within the broader context of political unrest and violence. The Troubles further deepened the complexities of Irish identity, sparking debates and discussions that resonated far beyond the borders of Northern Ireland.
Historical Context by Sarah Moran