The Virtues of Unprincipled Constitutional Compromises: Church and State in the Irish Constitution

Abstract

Constitution making – Disagreement – Principled constitutionalism versus unprincipled bargaining – Pragmatism – Church and state – Separation of religion and law – Maintaining religious peace – Drafting of the Irish Constitution of 1937 – Placating Irish Catholicism – Accommodation of protestant religious minority – Balancing religious freedom and religiosity – Balancing fundamental rights and religious influence – Flexibility and adaptability – Pragmatic assessment of constitutions and constitution making