This  paper  explores  the  transformation  of  21st-century  Irish  society by comparing Sally Rooney’s Normal People with James Joyce’s Ulysses, set in the early 20th century. Covering events from 2011 to 2015, Normal People offers valuable insights into modern Irish life.

Joyce highlights the suffering of the Irish people under British rule and the Catholic Church’s influence. By contrast, Normal People makes no mention of historical  conflicts  between   Ireland  and  Britain.  The  Catholic  Church’s influence  has  clearly  waned;  characters  rarely  attend  church,  and  core doctrines,  like  opposition  to abortion,  are  dismissed  as “regressive  political views.”  Although  Joyce  faced  criticism  for  his  explicit  portrayal  of  sexual themes, his approach stayed within what was socially acceptable at the time. Homosexuality and masochism, for instance, are depicted as deviant behaviors. In Normal People,  however,  a broader  spectrum of  sexual orientations  and preferences  is  portrayed,  with  homosexuality  and  masochistic  tendencies recognized as personal choices. The two authors also take distinctly different approaches to class issues. For Joyce, the struggles of the lower class are not a central theme. In contrast, Rooney focuses on both upper- and lower-class characters, highlighting the conflicts that arise from their different backgrounds and life experiences.

Many  contemporary  Irish  writers  remain  deeply  connected  to  Ireland’s historical narrative, but Rooney’s work marks a significant shift. By focusing on contemporary issues, she suggests that current and future challenges now carry more weight than past grievances in Irish literature.