From: Patrick Fitzgerald
To: "'irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk'"
Subject: RE: Ir-D Launch of Encyclopaedia of Ireland

Hi Paddy,
Thanks for the account of London launch - I made it to the Belfast bash.
Thanks for your part in the diasporic entries - well done.
Brian Lalor said in Belfast that one could produce a volume of similar scale
on the Irish Diaspora alone - now there is a thought. Tempted?
Best,
Paddy Fitzgerald

> -----Original Message-----
>
>
> From Email Patrick O'Sullivan
>
> I went down to London on Tuesday - usual nightmare journey on the
> British train system - to the Irish Embassy, for the London launch of
> The Encyclopaedia of Ireland, published by Gill & Macmillan, General
> Editor Brian Lalor...
>
> More information at...
> http://www.gillmacmillan.ie/
>

From: Carmel McCaffrey
Organization: Johns Hopkins University
Subject: Re: Ir-D Launch of Encyclopaedia of Ireland


Paddy,

Can you give us some idea of the actual contents? Where does the weight of
it fall - is it historic, literary, social, or personal? Is it for general
readership or scholarly advice? How does it differ from say, The Oxford
companion to Irish history?

Carmel

irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk wrote:

>>From Email Patrick O'Sullivan
>
>I went down to London on Tuesday - usual nightmare journey on the
>British train system - to the Irish Embassy, for the London launch of
>The Encyclopaedia of Ireland, published by Gill & Macmillan, General
>Editor Brian Lalor...
>
>More information at...
>http://www.gillmacmillan.ie/
>
>There have already been launches in Dublin and Belfast. And apparently
>the book is selling very well in Ireland.

From Email Patrick O'Sullivan

I went down to London on Tuesday - usual nightmare journey on the British
train system - to the Irish Embassy, for the London launch of The
Encyclopaedia of Ireland, published by Gill & Macmillan, General Editor
Brian Lalor...

More information at...
http://www.gillmacmillan.ie/

There have already been launches in Dublin and Belfast. And apparently the
book is selling very well in Ireland.

The Encyclopaedia of Ireland is now a co-production with Yale University
Press, in the USA, and with Macmillan Australia, in Australia and New
Zealand.

At the London launch the guest speaker was Tom Paulin - Neil Jordan was
billed, but was unable to attend (he had to meet with the movie money
men...)

So, Tom Paulin did witty and urbane, dipping into the Encylopaedia ('Not
only the B Specials, but the C Specials - I had forgotten the C
Specials...'). Michael Gill did paternal pride, Fergal Tobin did vindicated
triumph, and Brian Lalor the Editor did weary relief.

All picked out, for special comment and praise, the fact that the
Encylopaedia of Ireland covers the Irish Diaspora.

Irish-Diaspora list members will know this, because you wrote the entries.
I am listed at the beginning of the volume as Advisory Editor - and it is
true that I roughed out how the Irish Diaspora might be handled, given the
word count available and the limitations of the research record, and I
advised on the entries as they came in. But mostly I acted as go-between.

Everyone comments on the look of the volume, and especially on the
illustrations. It is a good piece of book design. The G & M web site -
which has the look of something rather hastily written - gives a price of 65
euros. There is a big print run, and clearly the publisher is aiming at a
popular market.

I have always stressed my admiration and respect for Brian Lalor, the
Editor, who is a good bloke. It was an extraordinarily difficult project,
and he saw it through.

I should also say how good it was to see so many old friends at the London
launch. Nice. I should get out more. If the trains could only run on
time...

Patrick O'Sullivan


- --
Patrick O'Sullivan
Head of the Irish Diaspora Research Unit

Email Patrick O'Sullivan
Email Patrick O'Sullivan
Personal Fax 0044 (0) 709 236 9050

Irish-Diaspora list
Irish Diaspora Studies http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/diaspora/
Irish Diaspora Net Archive http://www.irishdiaspora.net

Irish Diaspora Research Unit
Department of Social Sciences and Humanities
University of Bradford
Bradford BD7 1DP
Yorkshire
England

From: "John McGurk"
To:
Subject: Re: Ir-D Launch of Encyclopaedia of Ireland 2

From John McGurk. I went to the launch in Dublin.The night was like "ten all
Irelands in one" said Michael Gill.Seamus Heaney as far as I could hear did
not mention the I.D. I got my gallowglasses in though and met a few fellow
hists. I carried the 5 kilos of it all around Dublin and recalled Heaney
saying that what was needed was an altar boy to kneel down and carry it on
his head- reminiscent of those of us who acted as living lecterns during
Easter week!
John McGurk -
> From: Patrick Fitzgerald
> To: "'irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk'"
> Subject: RE: Ir-D Launch of Encyclopaedia of Ireland
>
> Hi Paddy,
> Thanks for the account of London launch - I made it to the Belfast bash.
> Thanks for your part in the diasporic entries - well done.
> Brian Lalor said in Belfast that one could produce a volume of similar
scale
> on the Irish Diaspora alone - now there is a thought. Tempted?
> Best,
> Paddy Fitzgerald

Subject: New book on Conflict in Northern Ireland
From: "Steven Mccabe"


Paddy, I wondered if your attention has been drawn to the recently published
text by Dr. Richard Bourke, Peace in Ireland: The War of Ideas (pub by
Pimlico). Given that it is almost 500 pages and only 10 pounds it is
remarkably good value.

I have pasted in the comments which summarise its content:-

This volume challenges the received wisdom about why Northern
Ireland descended into internecine strife. Focusing on the period from
1968 to the present, it argues that the Troubles were not the
result of an upsurge in primitive hatred, nor a reversion to tribal
loyalties. The conflict in Northern Ireland had a peculiarly modern
character, the distinctive features of which are observable elsewhere
around the globe. Through an exploration of the dynamics of war and
peace in Northern Ireland, this book sets out to uncover the true
significance of the principles of modern politics - democracy and
imperialism - and to chart the dangers which accompany their misapplication
in political conflicts which threaten the world.


Book Description
'This book is different from those that have been written on
Northern Ireland. It is better.' Seamus Deane

Steve McCabe, UCE, B'ham

From Email Patrick O'Sullivan

Carmel,

I cannot really answer your question about the contents and approach of the
Encylopaedia. I do not have a copy, and was only able to glance at a copy
at the launch, before moving on to Guinness and chat.

Brian Lalor said to me that he was looking forward to seeing some real
reviews, as distinct from 'personality pieces', which is all that has
appeared so far. That is, articles where some personality flicks through
the volume and reports amusing titbits. Often, of course, Irish Diaspora
titbits - Louison O'Morphi, Burke and Hare...

I have seen the diaspora pieces - which are as good as could be done in the
circumstances. With some coups where we were able to push a diaspora
consciousness in directions that will be familiar to Ir-D members, but had
not heretofore entered Irish reference books.

Perhaps other Ir-D members could tell us what they think of the
Encylopaedia?

Paddy F,

The notion of an Encylopaedia of the Irish Diaspora floats around, and we
get approaches - most recently from the ABC Clio people, who seem a decent
enough crowd. Indeed I have recently been talking to friends who are
working with them on another project.

But this kind of academic publishing is dependent on getting the raw
material for very little or nothing, and on the editors subsidising the
project with their own time and energy. In effect salaried academics use
the 'day job' to subsidise the academic publishing industry - because that's
what academic careers demand. I am not a salaried academic - I am a
freelance writer. I don't have 'spare time'.

And compare a properly resourced work of reference, like the new Dictionary
of National Biography here.

Much depends on good will. I have a distinct impression that a lot of good
will has been used up.

But the 'coups' that I spoke of earlier, talking to Carmel, had to do with
younger scholars, exploring new areas, who were pleased to contribute and
see their work enter works of reference. And we are about to start
discussing a very great 'coup' in the development of Irish Diaspora Studies,
Kevin Kenny's Special Essay in the Journal of American History.

Paddy O'Sullivan


- --
Patrick O'Sullivan
Head of the Irish Diaspora Research Unit

Email Patrick O'Sullivan
Email Patrick O'Sullivan
Personal Fax 0044 (0) 709 236 9050

Irish-Diaspora list
Irish Diaspora Studies http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/diaspora/
Irish Diaspora Net Archive http://www.irishdiaspora.net

Irish Diaspora Research Unit
Department of Social Sciences and Humanities
University of Bradford
Bradford BD7 1DP
Yorkshire
England

From: Maureen E Mulvihill
mulvihill[at]nyc.rr.com
Subject: US Orders of the New Irish Encyclopedia



Best post this timely information on your list, Patrick - All US orders
for the new Irish Encyclopedia must be placed through Yale University Press.
I've heard just today (see message, below) that Yale's press has constructed
a special link for these orders. Good wishes, O Mulvihill


- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicola Mc Farland"
To:
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 4:38 AM
Subject: FW: New Irish Encyclopedia

Dear Maureen E. Mulvihill -

For deliveries to America, please order The Encyclopaedia of Ireland from
Yale University Press.

If you log on the website and search by title you will see a link there that
will bring you directly through to Yale University Press website.

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,

Nicola Mc Farland
___________

From: Carmel McCaffrey
To: irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk
Paddy,

Thanks for this. One of the reasons I asked - apart from my own person
interest - is that I am compiling a "wish list" of Irish books for the
library here at Johns Hopkins and I wondered if it might be the type of book
to be included. It was not clear to me whether it was a book for students
who might want some scholarly references or more for interesting amusement.
I would be very interested in what others have to say who have the actual
book in front of them.


Carmel



irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk wrote:

>>From Email Patrick O'Sullivan
>
>Carmel,
>
>I cannot really answer your question about the contents and approach of
>the Encylopaedia. I do not have a copy, and was only able to glance at
>a copy at the launch, before moving on to Guinness and chat.
>
>Brian Lalor said to me that he was looking forward to seeing some real
>reviews, as distinct from 'personality pieces', which is all that has
>appeared so far. That is, articles where some personality flicks
>through the volume and reports amusing titbits. Often, of course,
>Irish Diaspora titbits - Louison O'Morphi, Burke and Hare...
>
>I have seen the diaspora pieces - which are as good as could be done in
>the circumstances. With some coups where we were able to push a
>diaspora consciousness in directions that will be familiar to Ir-D
>members, but had not heretofore entered Irish reference books.
>
>Perhaps other Ir-D members could tell us what they think of the
>Encylopaedia?
>

From: "Joan Allen"
To:

Dear Paddy

Could you publicise a forthcoming conference/cultural event jointly hosted
by the Tyneside Irish festival and Sunderland University please?

'Representing Ireland: Past, Present and Future'
24-26th October 2003
St Peter's Campus, University of Sunderland

The Plenarys are to be delivered by Terry Eagleton, Stephen Regan and Shaun
Richards and there is a superb line up of speakers.

Needless to say there will be the usual festival treats (ceilidh, story
telling, poetry reading and a 'final fling'!) For more information please
contact alisonyounger[at]aol.com or john.strachan[at]sunderland.ac.uk

From: "William Mulligan Jr."
To:
Subject: RE: Ir-D Launch of Encyclopaedia of Ireland 5

Paddy--
I second what you said about the informal subsidies that publishers
seem to expect. Such was certainly the case when I did a dictionary project
about 15 years ago. I was young then and saw it as an opportunity. An
encyclopedia of the Diaspora could be done under the "current system" and it
would probably be OK. There are very capable young scholars who would
welcome the exposure for their work and more established scholars who would
feel an obligation to participate. IOUs and favors would be called in, of
course, and it would get done.
Commissioning essays, there would need to be several hundred, at
least, I would think, would require a substantial fund raising effort to
provide reasonable honoraria for the authors and editors and to cover the
administrative overhead for such project which would be global in scope. A
core group of editors drawn from major Diaspora countries might well succeed
in raising the funding, but it would require substantial preparatory work to
develop a competitive proposal for funding from an array of agencies and
foundations. I have thought about both approaches from time to time -- when
not thinking about the viability of a Irish Diaspora journal -- I think a
properly done reference work is probably more feasible -- if a core group
could be put together and, in turn, editorial boards established in the
major countries involved.

Bill Mulligan
William H. Mulligan, Jr.
Professor of History
Murray State University

From Email Patrick O'Sullivan

This has come in from that busy man Joep Leerssen - who nowadays seems to be
commuting between Amsterdam and Harvard...

Joep is not a member of the Ir-D list.

P.O'S.

________________________________

From: Joep Leerssen
J.Th.Leerssen[at]hum.uva.nl
Subject: bretons /ireland


Paddy O'Sullivan alerted me to the interesting thread on Bretons in Ireland.
It's a very thorny topic since the history of Breton nationalism during the
Nazi years is as yet unwritten, largely a matter of oral history (which
makes Piaris Mac Einri's contribution particularly valuable) and under a
ferocious mortgage of hard feelings. I remember 2 years ago an antiquarian
bookseller in Paris, where I inquired about nineteenth-century (!) Breton
material, going into a harangue about how Breton separatists had volunteered
to be interrogators for the Gestapo, etc. Histories of the Breton movement
always show a black hole between 1910 and 1970. One book that is beginning
to touch on the subject, very gingerly, is entitled "Les nationalistes
bretons sous l'occupation" by Kristian Hamon. I got it through the
bookselling part of a website http://arbedkeltiek.com
which now I see is also offering something
called "Les Bretons au lendemain de l'occupation", by Luc Capdevila, with
the interesting blurb Comment les Bretons sont-ils sortis des violences et
des combats qui marquèrent la fin de l'Occupation?

One small quibble on Dan Leach's initial query. Was there ANY collaboration
at all with *Vichy*? I'd be surprised. Vichy France was far away, and
dedicated to a vision of Frenchness which would not countenance the agenda
of Breton nationalists.

As most respondents in the thread have pointed out, there is a situational
logic why "burnt" Breton nationalists (like some Belgians) should have moved
to Ireland. But the republican-separatist origins of the Irish state, are
perhaps not the most prominent among these. True, there is a street named
after Bobby Sands in Brest, the "Rue Bobby Sands", which speaks volumes
about contemporary sympathy for the "armed struggle" in Brittany-at-large;
but by now we're in a new political paradigm. In the 1940s, well before
European nationalists re-invented themselves 3rd-world-style as "national
liberation fronts", the most important sympathy between areas such as
Ireland, Brittany and Flanders would have consisted in their shared
Catholicism (there's your Croat Ustashe thing again, BTW); a lot of positive
propaganda about the Catholic Free State was fed to Breton and Flemish
Catholic youngsters in the 1920s, from whom the nationalist activists in the
1940s would have been recruited.

Secondly there was Irish neutrality. De Valera offering condolences to the
German ambassador on Hitler's demise was a gesture that was registered
everywhere in Europe. In the climate of severe (and I mean *severe*)
witch-hunts and reprisals affecting collaborators in the liberated
territories, this must have recommended Ireland to the people in question. I
think it would be interesting to compare Ireland in this respect with
Portugal and Spain (where the Walloon Rexist leader Léon Degrelle spent the
remainder of his life in remarkable and unrepentant comfort).

Interestingly, not only did "burnt" Breton nationalists not move to Spain,
they also did not move to Wales, though that had since the early 1820s
always been the Bretons' Celtic partner of choice. (Bretons were always more
"pan-"Celtic than the others, perhaps because they needed a non-French
support and solidarity.) Indeed in my own interest in pan-Celticism it
appears to me that the 1944 aftermath was of vital importance in breaking
down the division between the two separate spheres of pan-Celticism,
Brittany-Wales and Dublin-Edinburgh, which until then had never really
meshed. The presence of Heusaff in Ireland is a real hinge moment in that
development.

Anyway it's a topic of huge interest, and very necessary to retrieve it from
its hush-hush oral ambience and get it into writing.

Joep Leerssen
European Studies
University of Amsterdam

From:
To: irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Ir-D Encyclopaedias 2


Carmel
I have the book but don't feel qualified to pronounce apart from
thinking it an attractive production and probably the most useful resource
available to anyone seeking a general reference work of this kind.

Conor Brady's searching review in The Irish Times, Saturday September 27th,
might be more helpful.

I was at the Dublin launch but, being a lifelong plougher of lone furrows,
knew no one (apart from Heaney) and left early. To judge from the
proliferation of smooth cheeks and linen suits, however, I think the Irish
literary and academic worlds were well represented and I'm sure a good night
was had by all.

Congratulations to Paddy for getting the Diaspora such a good look in...

Ultan Cowley










irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk wrote:


>From Email Patrick O'Sullivan Carmel, I cannot really answer your question about the contents
and approach of the Encylopaedia. I do not have a copy, and was only
able to glance at a copy at the launch, before moving on to Guinness and
chat.

Brian Lalor said to me that he was looking forward to seeing some real reviews, as distinct from 'personality pieces', which is all that has appeared so far. That is, articles where some personality flicks through the volume and reports amusing titbits. Often, of course, Irish Diaspora titbits - Louison O'Morphi, Burke and Hare...

I have seen the diaspora pieces - which are as good as could be done in
the circumstances. With some coups where we were able to push a diaspora consciousness in directions that will be familiar to Ir-D members, but had not heretofore entered Irish reference books.

Perhaps other Ir-D members could tell us what they think of the Encylopaedia?

<
<

From: "William Mulligan Jr."
To:
Subject: New Book Series


This was on H-Net. Not sure if you saw it.

University of Illinois Press announces a new series

STUDIES OF WORLD MIGRATIONS

Donna R. Gabaccia and Leslie Page Moch, editors

http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=135404

I don't recognize any of the editors as Irish Diaspora scholars.

William H. Mulligan, Jr.
Professor of History
Murray State University

From: "William Mulligan Jr."
To:
Subject: RE: Ir-D US Orders, Encyclopaedia of Ireland

The Encyclopedia is available from barnesandnoble.com at 20 % off.

William H. Mulligan, Jr.
Professor of History
Murray State University

From: patrick maume
Sender: P.Maume[at]Queens-Belfast.AC.UK
To: irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Ir-D Encyclopaedia of Ireland, Comment 2

From: Patrick Maume
There's a six-line entry on Opus Dei. There's no overall entry on
Latin/South America but there are entries on individual countries
(Argentina, Brazil). Not sure which countries are covered - I just made a
hasty check.
Best wishes,
Patrick

> From: "Murray, Edmundo"
>
> I wonder if some of those fortunate who already have the Encyclopaedia can
> tell me if there is an entry on South America (or 'Latin' America, as the
> Oxford Companion to Irish History preferred to simplify geographic
> nuances... and to complicate identities). Also, for the sake of curiosity,
> is the 'Opus Dei' also present?

From: Dan Leach
To: irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Ir-D More on Bretons

Hello Paddy,

I replied to Joep personally, and he's recommended I post the reply to the
list. Please feel free to do with as you please.

Thanks.

DL

Dear Joep,

Thank you for your post. I've had several very interesting and
informative responses to my initial query.

I'm familiar with the Hamon work, and will keep an eye out for the
Capdevila title. The former caused a bit of a stir when it was released two
years ago, prompting accusations in the French media of the quiet
rehabilitation of Breiz Atao 'Nazi-onalistes' in Breton autonomist circles.
See
http://www.amnistia.net/news/articles/bret/natbret/natbret.htm for an
example of this type of review.

As for 'collaboration' with Vichy, this was certainly the accusation
levelled at moderate federalist and/or regionalist Bretons like Yann Fouere,
who rejected the initial collaborationist line of the PNB and gave some
support to Petain's proposals for the restitution of historic provinces.
Under Delaporte, the PNB itself moved towards this position: advoca= ting
Breton autonomy within a federal France, and adopting a neutralist line
between Vichy and Germany. Gaullists certainly viewed this as moral
collaboration, if not outright treachery, come the 'epuration'. It's worthy
of note that even Doriot's PPF sought to win the support of Breton
nationalists by promising a return to pre-Revolution provincial rights with
in a federal system (the PPF had a Breton section, and Doriot's mother was
Breton, as it happens). Of course, such a moderate line incensed Breton
separatist 'Ultras' such as Guieysse and Laine, who revived the 'Breiz Atao'
label and formed the Bezen Perrot collaborationist militia in reaction.

Interestingly, Fouere did indeed move to Wales before Ireland, and it was
Welsh activists who raised the first campaign in opposition to French
oppression of Breton cultural rights in the immediate postwar period.
Fouere outlines his Welsh and Irish exile in La Maison du Connemara:
Histoire d'un Breton (Coop Breizh, 1995).

Thanks again for your interest, Joep.

DL

[Moderator's Note: A number of diacretics, or accents, got lost in the
processing of Dan Leach's message required by our software. P.O'S.]

From: Elizabeth Malcolm
Subject: Re: Ir-D Encyclopaedias 3

Carmel,

Top marks to the publishers for getting copies to the contributors rapidly.
I received my copy last Thurs. the 25th, when I was expecting it might take
weeks if not months to get Down Under.

I've not seen the Conor Brady review nor have I had time to study the book
closely. But initial impressions are that it is amazingly comprehensive,
with entries on a huge range of topics, and very well illustrated, with many
pictures I've never seen before.

But the negatives that stand out for me are that many entries are very
brief; that the length of entries seems rather illogical; that some of the
contributors have entries on them (??); that there are no references or
bibliographies - and are so many Irish pop music groups that significant?

And a very personal and perhaps self-indulgent complaint: I have written a
book nearly 400 pages long on the history of Swift's Hospital: St Patrick's
in Dublin, Ireland's oldest psychiatric hospital. The entry on the hospital
in the Encyclopaedia is by a retired professor of anatomy, who clearly
relies on my book, but offers an incoherent collection of facts and gets the
date of the hospital's opening wrong!! Not good I think.

Elizabeth Malcolm


>From:
>To: irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk
>Subject: Re: Ir-D Encyclopaedias 2
>
>
>Carmel
> I have the book but don't feel qualified to pronounce apart from
>thinking it an attractive production and probably the most useful
>resource available to anyone seeking a general reference work of this kind.
>
>Conor Brady's searching review in The Irish Times, Saturday September
>27th, might be more helpful.
>
>I was at the Dublin launch but, being a lifelong plougher of lone
>furrows, knew no one (apart from Heaney) and left early. To judge from
>the proliferation of smooth cheeks and linen suits, however, I think
>the Irish literary and academic worlds were well represented and I'm
>sure a good night was had by all.
>
>Congratulations to Paddy for getting the Diaspora such a good look in...
>
>Ultan Cowley
>
------------------------
Dr Elizabeth Malcolm
Gerry Higgins Professor of Irish Studies Deputy Head Department of History
University of Melbourne Parkville, Victoria, 3010 AUSTRALIA

Telephone: +61-3-8344 3924
FAX: +61-3-8344 7894
Email: e.malcolm[at]unimelb.edu.au

-----------------------

From: Patrick Fitzgerald
To: "'irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk'"
Subject: RE: Ir-D Encyclopaedia of Ireland, Comment 2

Hi Edmundo,
There is no reference to South America or Latin America. Patrick McKenna has
an entry of 4 paras on Irish in Argentina.
Opus Dei gets 6 lines by Fergal Tobin.
Best,
Paddy Fitzgerald

From: "MacEinri, Piaras"
To: "'irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk'"
Subject: RE: Ir-D More on Bretons 2

At the risk of stating the obvious, the Breton/Welsh connection is
linguistic in the first place, as the two languages are very close and not
at all comprehensible to Irish and Scots Gaelic speakers (whereas it is
relatively easy for an Irish speaker to make the transition to Scots Gaelic
and vice versa). Having said that I recall that Alan Heusaff was once
interviewed at length on S4C, the Welsh language television channel, and was
a little miffed to find that when the programme was broadcast his remarks
were subtitled in Welsh.

Piaras

From: "Dr Paul O'Leary"
To:
Subject: Re: Ir-D More on Bretons 3

From: Paul O'Leary: ppo[at]aber.ac.uk

Piaras is correct about the linguistic affinity between Welsh and Breton but
a Breton speaker would need to be sub-titled to be understood on Welsh TV,
as his example showed. Students from Brittany used to come to Aberystwyth to
study Breton at University level because it was not available in their own
country, though I think the situation there has changed in recent years.

I have been collecting data about Breton priests in nineteenth-century Wales
for some time now. They were recruited to evangelise Welsh speakers, while
the English speaking clergy concentrated on Irish migrants. The experiment
with the Bretons was not successful.

Two points about Breton nationalism. The first is that Welsh nationalists
had links with Breton nationalists between the wars, and the magazine
'Breizh Atao' published a column in Welsh for a while. But a prominent Welsh
nationalist writer, W. Ambrose Bebb, was horrified to hear pro-Hitler
sentiments when he visited Brittany shortly before the outbreak of war in
1939. The second point concerns an unofficial delegation from the National
Eisteddfod of Wales to Brittany following the purge of Breton nationalists.
It produced a report on the event, a version of which appeared in English a
few years ago in the magazine 'Planet'.

Paul

- ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "MacEinri, Piaras"
> To: "'irish-diaspora[at]Bradford.ac.uk'"
> Subject: RE: Ir-D More on Bretons 2
>
> At the risk of stating the obvious, the Breton/Welsh connection is
> linguistic in the first place, as the two languages are very close and
> not at all comprehensible to Irish and Scots Gaelic speakers (whereas
> it is relatively easy for an Irish speaker to make the transition to
> Scots Gaelic
> and vice versa). Having said that I recall that Alan Heusaff was once
> interviewed at length on S4C, the Welsh language television channel,
> and was
> a little miffed to find that when the programme was broadcast his
> remarks were subtitled in Welsh.
>
> Piaras
>