...you really do want me to write a lot, don't you?
I can't really remember much about the development of my interest in Irish politics. My Granny (great-grandmother), an intrepid world traveler, was Irish (in origin) and went to Ireland during my childhood. There was always something of a feeling running under the surface of that part of my family that we had been tossed out like so much garbage. I knew about Cromwell and British aggression from a young age. I knew that it had followed us to the New World, as evidenced by the glorification of Cromwell and other figures in early 20th century history texts. But while I was young, my knowledge of the subject was rather dated.
I am also a lifelong U2 fan - was singing along with Boy and War and October when I was still too young to understand half the words. By the time I was 11, I'd gotten a preliminary introduction to 20th century Irish politics through the reading of various books about the band. I was an enthusiast, always, and did a lot of reading on Eamon De Valera, Michael Collins, the Easter 1916 uprising, W.B. Yeats, and other such topics. I only really appreciated these things later; Yeats remains one of my favorite poets (I tend to favor his era for poetry anyhow). I also remember being interested at the election of Mary Robinson as Irish President (because *we* didn't have a woman president, more proof of how cool the Irish are). I was 13 at the time.
My interest in the dynamics of conflict and current international politics have spurred me over the course of my life to a deeper understanding of today's (divided) Irish politics. I came to it from a nationalist/Republican perspective to begin with, of course. It would have been hard for me not to have. I have not changed in that I see the British in Ireland as aggressors. However, as I've grown up, I have realized several things. One is that London does not really want Northern Ireland. They stay out of a not at all misplaced loyalty to the people that they themselves planted there. I have nothing but admiration for the collaboration between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the British Prime Minister's office in bringing peace to the province. I do not believe that reuniting with the main body of Ireland will bring peace to the North, and that is reinforced by the knowledge that the most bloody paramilitaries in Ireland are Unionist (in favor of continued union with Britain), and the IRA is deeply involved in the international arms and drugs trades - they're basically a criminal organization. I was also horrified when they prosecuted a little girl who went to England for an abortion at about the same time. So were a lot of Irish people, actually, and that case resulted in a lot of social and legal change.
Without the IRA, Sinn Fein would be a rather cute little group of socialists. I asked for, but did not receive, their calender for Christmas two years ago, out of pure curiousity over the photos. I am interested in how the politics of the North affect the politics of the main body of Ireland from time to time. I've also been very interested in the Celtic Tiger phenomenon (Ireland has the largest and fastest-growing economy in Europe), and the resulting immigration. Ireland has long been happy to receive any immigrants who are willing to *be* Irish, but these days there are fewer and fewer Irish-owned pubs in Ireland. That's a lot of immigration. French and Polish people are flocking to Ireland in droves. When the economy is not so good, there will be a lot more hostility, I think - that's what happens here. I was interested at the smoke-free public spaces law - especially when several members of the Dail were penalized for smoking in the bathrooms on the first day the law was in force!
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branchandroot
Taoiseach
Date: 2006-08-09 04:55 pm (UTC)I can't really remember much about the development of my interest in Irish politics. My Granny (great-grandmother), an intrepid world traveler, was Irish (in origin) and went to Ireland during my childhood. There was always something of a feeling running under the surface of that part of my family that we had been tossed out like so much garbage. I knew about Cromwell and British aggression from a young age. I knew that it had followed us to the New World, as evidenced by the glorification of Cromwell and other figures in early 20th century history texts. But while I was young, my knowledge of the subject was rather dated.
I am also a lifelong U2 fan - was singing along with Boy and War and October when I was still too young to understand half the words. By the time I was 11, I'd gotten a preliminary introduction to 20th century Irish politics through the reading of various books about the band. I was an enthusiast, always, and did a lot of reading on Eamon De Valera, Michael Collins, the Easter 1916 uprising, W.B. Yeats, and other such topics. I only really appreciated these things later; Yeats remains one of my favorite poets (I tend to favor his era for poetry anyhow). I also remember being interested at the election of Mary Robinson as Irish President (because *we* didn't have a woman president, more proof of how cool the Irish are). I was 13 at the time.
My interest in the dynamics of conflict and current international politics have spurred me over the course of my life to a deeper understanding of today's (divided) Irish politics. I came to it from a nationalist/Republican perspective to begin with, of course. It would have been hard for me not to have. I have not changed in that I see the British in Ireland as aggressors. However, as I've grown up, I have realized several things. One is that London does not really want Northern Ireland. They stay out of a not at all misplaced loyalty to the people that they themselves planted there. I have nothing but admiration for the collaboration between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the British Prime Minister's office in bringing peace to the province. I do not believe that reuniting with the main body of Ireland will bring peace to the North, and that is reinforced by the knowledge that the most bloody paramilitaries in Ireland are Unionist (in favor of continued union with Britain), and the IRA is deeply involved in the international arms and drugs trades - they're basically a criminal organization. I was also horrified when they prosecuted a little girl who went to England for an abortion at about the same time. So were a lot of Irish people, actually, and that case resulted in a lot of social and legal change.
Without the IRA, Sinn Fein would be a rather cute little group of socialists. I asked for, but did not receive, their calender for Christmas two years ago, out of pure curiousity over the photos. I am interested in how the politics of the North affect the politics of the main body of Ireland from time to time. I've also been very interested in the Celtic Tiger phenomenon (Ireland has the largest and fastest-growing economy in Europe), and the resulting immigration. Ireland has long been happy to receive any immigrants who are willing to *be* Irish, but these days there are fewer and fewer Irish-owned pubs in Ireland. That's a lot of immigration. French and Polish people are flocking to Ireland in droves. When the economy is not so good, there will be a lot more hostility, I think - that's what happens here. I was interested at the smoke-free public spaces law - especially when several members of the Dail were penalized for smoking in the bathrooms on the first day the law was in force!
Lots more to say, but that's my introduction. :)