Seven Ages: The Story of the Irish Stateis a landmark documentary series produced in 2000 by Araby Productions for RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland. Directed by Seán Ó Mórdha, this influential seven-part series chronicles Ireland's evolution since its founding in 1921 through key political, social, and cultural moments in history.

The series offers a comprehensive exploration of how Ireland, as a new nation-state, evolved a collective identity over its first seven decades. The shared national narrative, initially framed by founding leaders, evolved through a dynamic interplay of internal and external socio-economic-cultural forces. It reveals the complex process through which societies construct and sustain their sense of collective self

Episode 6 examines how Ireland's relationship with Europe in the 1970s necessitated a profound recalibration of national mythology. The emergence of narratives positioning Ireland within a broader European context reveals the adaptability of national storytelling, demonstrating how societies reformulate their identities to accommodate new geopolitical alignments without abandoning core elements of self-conception.

Seán Ó Mórdha's documentary series presents this period as a critical junction where Ireland negotiated the tension between sovereignty and integration, illustrating how national myths evolve to reconcile seemingly contradictory imperatives. The series demonstrates how societies craft narratives that allow them to participate in transnational projects while maintaining distinctive identities.

Each episode explores pivotal moments in Ireland's development, revealing how national mythologies function as dynamic frameworks that can expand to incorporate new dimensions of identity and belonging. The documentary features perspectives from political leaders and cultural commentators who witnessed and shaped this evolution, offering unique insights into the conscious and unconscious processes of narrative adaptation.

By examining how Ireland positioned itself within European frameworks while maintaining its distinctive character, the series provides a sophisticated understanding of how national identities navigate the complex interplay between particularity and universality. First broadcast in 2000, Seven Ages continues to offer valuable perspective on how societies craft cohesive narratives that make sense of their changing place in the world, demonstrating that effective national mythologies must be both rooted and adaptable.