This essay is based on two periods of censorship in Ireland: censorship of 'evil literature' in the second quarter of the twentieth century and the Emergency censorship 1939-1945. It will be argued that the main motivator behind the 1929 censorship was the Church while censorship during the Emergency was driven by political considerations. It will be made evident that the government's role became increasingly strong as church influence diminished and in some cases acted against what was perceived as national interest.
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