It was nicely going a certain way, bringing all that fusion of Art Deco and Native Irish stylised form. For example the Irish Hare, Irish Wolfhound, then abstract design, knotwork, spirals, zoomorphism (I'm thinking the word is), abstract art that is Irish in nature, that was being incorporated into newly nation. And then it changed, and we got bogged down. I think I saw water sources like bricks along rivers, with female faces, and metal grates that incorporated some of these styles. I'm going to look that up. Irish Rivers and female celtic deities something like that..
It's difficult to argue with Thomas' case against Dev. What he says about the first Free State government is correct. It's innovations, especially the electricity generation initiative, pushed the new state along the road to modernity.
But was success in the new state only about economic and industrial progress? Was there no room for the kind of mystical and mythological ideas that Dev occasionally (and somehat half-heartedly) included in his speeches?
De Valera dodged the episcopal crozier by insisting on the pagan name Éire going into his 1937 constitution. This was a bold move, but could he not have been more frank in his explanation of why he did this? Could he not have openly aligned himself with our pre-Christian past and defied the craw-thumpers?
Thomas has raised serious questions about Ireland that should concern us all. Personally I believe the 1937 constitution contains the seeds of a possible renaissance of the country today, in 2025. That would involve a blending of pagan and Christian beliefs and practices that are barely hinted at in the document. But at least the bare bones are visible. So we should be grateful to Dev for that at least.
The thing is we already had a culture and that was eternal and still is. What was needed was a nation. Dev derailed it in an almost dictatorial manner.
I'm still reading that Brian Cleeve book, I got it up at your launch in November. Very interesting man. Full of interesting facets, a colourful individual.🥰
This is great Thomas, I read a memoir recently of one of the Chefs from what is now the Great Southern in Killarney( the railway Hotel) he described De Valera in the memoir, as a poorly type and of very poor appetite when he visited the hotel on occasion.
Been going through Thomas' back catalogue (not a euthamism!) and found a video he did on Patriotic Magic over 9 yrs ago. I would consider one of the best videos he has done..jaw dropping. I was literally spellbound listening..talk about prescient! I have included link below if any Substack Readers if interested..it just explains so much
We could have had high technology, national pride and accomplishment and Catholicism. De Valera was the problem, not the Rosary.
well his weponizing of it as a subtitute for a modern Ireland was the issue.
It was nicely going a certain way, bringing all that fusion of Art Deco and Native Irish stylised form. For example the Irish Hare, Irish Wolfhound, then abstract design, knotwork, spirals, zoomorphism (I'm thinking the word is), abstract art that is Irish in nature, that was being incorporated into newly nation. And then it changed, and we got bogged down. I think I saw water sources like bricks along rivers, with female faces, and metal grates that incorporated some of these styles. I'm going to look that up. Irish Rivers and female celtic deities something like that..
It's difficult to argue with Thomas' case against Dev. What he says about the first Free State government is correct. It's innovations, especially the electricity generation initiative, pushed the new state along the road to modernity.
But was success in the new state only about economic and industrial progress? Was there no room for the kind of mystical and mythological ideas that Dev occasionally (and somehat half-heartedly) included in his speeches?
De Valera dodged the episcopal crozier by insisting on the pagan name Éire going into his 1937 constitution. This was a bold move, but could he not have been more frank in his explanation of why he did this? Could he not have openly aligned himself with our pre-Christian past and defied the craw-thumpers?
Thomas has raised serious questions about Ireland that should concern us all. Personally I believe the 1937 constitution contains the seeds of a possible renaissance of the country today, in 2025. That would involve a blending of pagan and Christian beliefs and practices that are barely hinted at in the document. But at least the bare bones are visible. So we should be grateful to Dev for that at least.
The thing is we already had a culture and that was eternal and still is. What was needed was a nation. Dev derailed it in an almost dictatorial manner.
I'm still reading that Brian Cleeve book, I got it up at your launch in November. Very interesting man. Full of interesting facets, a colourful individual.🥰
This is great Thomas, I read a memoir recently of one of the Chefs from what is now the Great Southern in Killarney( the railway Hotel) he described De Valera in the memoir, as a poorly type and of very poor appetite when he visited the hotel on occasion.
Been going through Thomas' back catalogue (not a euthamism!) and found a video he did on Patriotic Magic over 9 yrs ago. I would consider one of the best videos he has done..jaw dropping. I was literally spellbound listening..talk about prescient! I have included link below if any Substack Readers if interested..it just explains so much
https://youtu.be/9OlOEjBKnHo?si=Xo6m5kOhqhlVrr4Z
Excellent. Thank you T.
Fascinating. Was DV a product of The British & its oligarchy?