"Ireland is a peculiar society in the sense that it was a nineteenth century society up to about 1970 and then it almost bypassed the twentieth century"

John McGahern's quote is a reflection on the fast modifications that took place in Ireland during the late 20th century. He suggests that Ireland was a 19th century society till 1970, and after that it almost avoided the 20th century. This implies that the modifications that happened in Ireland during the 20th century were so extreme that it seemed like the nation had actually avoided a century. This might be referring to the economic and social changes that took place in Ireland during this time, such as the introduction of the Euro, the development of the service market, and the increasing acceptance of diversity. McGahern's quote is a testimony to the rapid modifications that took place in Ireland throughout the late 20th century, and how it felt like the country had nearly bypassed a century of development.