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Post by cato on Dec 14, 2018 12:44:41 GMT
RTE are having an election special on the general election held 100 years ago today which swept away the Home Rule party and led to Irish Independence a mere 4 years later. It will be worth a watch hopefully.
One of the amazing things about that period is how rapidly things changed. No one could imagine Ireland leaving the EU and resuming full sovereignty within an 8 year period today.
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Post by Maolsheachlann on Dec 14, 2018 14:19:39 GMT
Indeed! I think historical change often follows a path similar to punctuated equilibrium in evolutionary theory. We become so used to relative stability, which is what pertains MOST of time, that we don't realize there can be massive changes in a very short time. And very like an avalanche or volcano; something that might have been gathering for a long, long time. |
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Post by cato on Jan 22, 2019 15:31:25 GMT
Following on from the election RTE carried coverage of the First Dail centenary ceremony in the Mansion House. The snippets of the speech made by the president were totally predictable. Nationalism is bad , we need to welcome more foreigners etc etc. I haven't the will power to view the whole proceedings today.
Lefty types have been getting all excited about the Democratic Program of the first Dail giving it the status of holy writ and lambasting sucessive Irish governments for being hardhearted and tight fisted.
True Ireland was a tough place for most people but people freely elected politicians who gradually expanded welfare and social provision over the decades. They consistently refused to elect a radical socialist alternative. Just like they freely went to Mass and supported a Church modern liberals detest.These were our people. Our grand and great grand parents. Pity they weren't as caring compassionate and enlightened as we are.
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Post by Maolsheachlann on Jan 22, 2019 15:47:13 GMT
True Ireland was a tough place for most people but people freely elected politicians who gradually expanded welfare and social provision over the decades. They consistently refused to elect a radical socialist alternative. Just like they freely went to Mass and supported a Church modern liberals detest.These were our people. Our grand and great grand parents. Pity they weren't as caring compassionate and enlightened as we are. I made a similar point in a letter to the Irish Times some years ago: www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/st-patrick-and-ireland-1.2145717 |
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