The issue of national identity, then, is shaped in large part by one's views on English rule. In this moment, all are called to think about their national identities and about what that means in relation to Irishness. The Earl makes them all stop and realize for just one moment that they are part of something larger than themselves. How they define that something is constantly changing, but regardless of the definition, there is something inherently Irish to which all people return. Blood will always be blood and the Irish will always be Irish.
Group identities are a fascinating subject, but groups are no more than the sum of their parts.
Individuals provide the dynamics that make groups work.