Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Liam Clarke
Subject: Re: Irish Diaspora Conference
In-Reply-To: A
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Excuse the pig ignorance but what vote is being referred to here?

I have lived all my adult life here in sussex but have voted here and in
Ireland: I voted twice in fact for the European Union: I also thought
that British people going to Ireland could now vote there??=20

Have the politicians at home changed something??


Liam Clarke =20

-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On
Behalf Of Liam Greenslade
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 2:03 AM
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [IR-D] Irish Diaspora Conference

Dear all

=20

Due to a last minute invitation I am also attending this conference and,
like Piaras, I don't expect a great deal from it. For those of you
outside of this island who want the vote, all I can suggest is that you
start a campaign to withhold the remittances which are likely to be in
great demand in the not too distant future now that the arse has started
to fall out of the housing market here.=20

=20

Best

=20

Liam

=20

Liam Greenslade

Academic Theme Leaders Office

Dublin City University

Dublin D9

http://liamgr.blogspot.com

=20

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: "William Mulligan Jr."
Subject: FW: Irish Latin American Research Fund: Call for Grant Proposals
(deadline 30 April 2007) REMINDER
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

FROM: contact[at]irlandeses.org

Please see attached information from the Society for Irish Latin
American Studies (SILAS). Apologies for cross postings.

The Society for Irish Latin American Studies is pleased to announce the
launch of a new edition of its grants programme "Irish Latin American
Research Fund". The objective of the Irish Latin American Research Fund
is to support innovative and significant research in the different
aspects of relations between Ireland and Latin America.

Grants up to 1,000 Euros will be awarded to exceptionally promising
students, faculty members or independent scholars to help support their
research and writing leading to the publication or other types of
communication of their projects. Awards will be selected on the basis of
a well-developed research plan that promises to make a significant
contribution to a particular area of study about the Irish and Latin
America.

Three prestigious scholars will seat on this year's selection committee:
Maureen Murphy, Chair (Hofstra University), Piaras Mac Einri (University
College Cork), and Guillermo O'Donnell (University of Notre Dame). They
will assess the research proposals and award grants to the best
projects. The Irish Latin American Research Fund is open to faculty,
advanced university students, and independent scholars throughout the
world. Applicants from previous academic years who were not awarded a
grant may apply again and submit the same project. Successful applicants
must wait until two rounds of grants have passed before reapplying.

The Society receives no institutional funding and its only financial
source is represented by membership fees and donations. These grants are
possible thanks to the generosity of SILAS members and friends.

Download the Rules, Procedure, Application Form and Grantee Agreement
from the website:
http://www.irlandeses.org/grant_call0708.htm
Complete the required information and send your proposal through the
post to SILAS. Applications must be received or postmarked by 30 April
2007. Awards will be announced on 27-30 June 2007.

Edmundo Murray
Society for Irish Latin American Studies
Maison Rouge (1268) Burtigny, Switzerland
+41 22 739 50 49
Email: edmundo.murray[at]irlandeses.org
Visit the website at http://www.irlandeses.org/grant_call0708.htm

Data Protection Notice:
This email has been sent to you by the Society for Irish Latin American
Studies (SILAS) in the belief that it will be of interest to you. If you
no longer wish to receive messages from SILAS, please reply to this
email with the subject "unsubscribe". Thank you.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: CFP The Irish Question, The Radical History Review, New York,
United States
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

The Irish Question
Location: New York, United States
Call for Papers Date: 2008-03-15
Date Submitted: 2007-03-29
Announcement ID: 156164

The Radical History Review seeks submissions for an issue that will explore
the intellectual, historical and political implications of the "Irish
Question" over the past eight centuries.

We depart from the premise that the national question and its resolution (or
not) in Ireland is not only a major topic in Irish and British Imperial
history, but one with fundamental implications for the evolution of the
modern world, and the histories of colonialism and postcolonialism. We
envision contributions focused on Ireland, first as a colony and then
partitioned into two states after 1922, and the attendant "Irish diaspora"
in England, Canada, the United States, and beyond. However, the editors do
not assume that the Irish Question is restricted to people of Irish descent
or the countries they inhabit: we are equally interested in the relationship
of Ireland's national struggle to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The issue will seek to explore a series of interlocking questions, including
but not limited to:

1. Is Ireland a founding site of European imperialism and anti-imperial
resistance, as well as post-colonialism? What are the implications for
European or world history of moving the Third back into the First World?

2. How has the rise of a Revisionist historiography challenging the
nationalist narrative paralleled Ireland's move away from postcolonial
dependency since the 1970s? What is its significance for historians outside
of Ireland? What does it mean to deny the existence of a national revolution
in Ireland?

3. What are the implications of the process beginning in the mid-nineteenth
century whereby Ireland and Irishness was configured as exclusively
Catholic? How has that identity played out on the world stage-is it equally
relevant in all cases?

4. Why is "race" so rarely mentioned inside Irish history when the Irish as
immigrants are so emphatically raced once they leave Ireland, whether as
"becoming white" or not-quite-white? Does Ireland occupy a distinctive place
in whiteness studies, or should it?

5. Is it useful or accurate to assert an "Irish Diaspora?" What are the
implications of this particular form of diasporic studies?

6. How have the Irish, whether in Ireland or abroad, appropriated
transnational forms of popular culture like soul and later hip-hop?

7. How influential has the Irish version of cultural nationalism been in the
larger world? Can we link De Valera with Garvey and Ben Gurion, or is the
Ireland sui generis, given the role of the Catholic Church?

8. How has Irish Republicanism been represented in popular and mass culture,
in different parts of the world? Are these tropes and images similar to
those assigned to other movements committed to armed struggle by any means
necessary, or distinctively different?

9. What is the Irish Left, alongside or outside of Irish republicanism? Are
its problems relevant to the problem of class politics in other national
liberation struggles?

10. How has Irish women's history and Irish feminism recast the National
Question?

11. Are there distinctive Irish and/or Irish American discourses of
sexuality and queerness-are they similar or different, and what role does
demography play in Ireland's distinctive history of sexual repression?

Though the RHR continues to publish monographic articles, we also invite
Reflections, Interventions, roundtables, interviews, and reviews that go
beyond books to look at popular historical representations, whether visual,
cinematic, or textual. Potential contributors are encouraged to look at
recent issues for examples of these non-traditional forms of scholarship.

Submissions are due by March 15, 2008 and should be submitted
electronically, as an attachment, to rhr[at]igc.org with "Issue 104 submission"
in the subject line. For artwork, please send images as high resolution
digital files (each image as a separate file). For preliminary e-mail
inquiries, please include "Issue 104" in the subject line. Those articles
selected for publication after the peer review process will be included in
issue 104 of the Radical History Review, scheduled to appear in Spring 2009.

Radical History Review
Tamiment Library, 10th Floor
New York University
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012

Email: rhr[at]igc.org
Visit the website at http://chnm.gmu.edu/rhr/rhr.htm

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: TOC IRISH STUDIES REVIEW -BATH-VOL 15; NUMB 1; 2007
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

IRISH STUDIES REVIEW -BATH-
VOL 15; NUMB 1; 2007
ISSN 0967-0882

pp. 1-15
'To Me, Here Is More Like There' Irish drama and criticism in the 'collision
culture'.
Richards, S.

pp. 17-35
Unionist Divisions, The Onset Of The Northern Ireland Conflict, And
'Pressures On O'neill' Reconsidered.
Peatling, G. K.

pp. 37-49
Ulster Protestant Women Authors Olga Fielden's Island Story.
Doak, N.

pp. 51-63
Protestant Millennialism, Political Violence And The Ulster Conflict.
Gribben, C.

pp. 65-72
'For Sak? Irish Whiskey' Andrew Fitzsimons and His Representation of Japan.
De Angelis, I.

pp. 73-82
Robert Greacen Getting on with the 'job of living'.
Ferris, S.

pp. 83-88
New Field Day Dawning.
Arrowsmith, A.

pp. 89-122
History And Art.
McEvansoneya, P.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: TOC IRISH POLITICAL STUDIES VOL 22; NUMB 1; 2007
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

IRISH POLITICAL STUDIES
VOL 22; NUMB 1; 2007
ISSN 0790-7184

pp. 1-34
Politicians, Elections and Catastrophe: The General Election of 1847.
Walker, B.

pp. 35-60
Civic Virtue in the Modern World: The Politics of Young Ireland.
Dwan, D.

pp. 61-80
Irish Public Opinion toward European Integration.
Kennedy, F.; Sinnott, R.

pp. 81-101
Decommissioning and the Peace Process: Where Did It Come From and Why Did It
Stay So Long?.
O'Kane, E.

pp. 103-120
P. S. O'Hegarty and the Ulster Question.
Curtis, K.

pp. 121-132
Book Reviews.
Dochartaigh, N. O.; Bruce, L.; McMahon, D.; Ginty, R. M.; Edwards, A.;
Kirby, P.; Cochrane, F.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: "MacEinri, Piaras"
Subject: Re: Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - 4 April
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Dear All

I gather some kind of report of yesterday's meeting will be prepared; I
won't go into great detail as I don't really have the time today but =
can
certainly expand on points of interest if anyone has a query. There =
were a
few other list contributors (e.g. Liam Greenslade, Mary Hickman) at the
conference as well.

Agenda:

Opening Address by Mr Dermot Ahern TD Minister for Foreign Affairs
US Congressional Delegation - Representative Richard E Neal

Guest speakers:=20
Paddy O=E2=80=99Hanlon, Former Chairman of the Task Force on Policy =
regarding
Emigrants=20
Mr Nickey Brennan, President of the GAA
Professor Terri Scott, CEO, The Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship. =
IDA
Board Member=20
Dr Ian Adamson, former Lord Mayor of Belfast
Mr Tim Pat Coogan, Journalist and Author of =E2=80=9CWherever Green is =
Worn=E2=80=9D, on
the Irish Diaspora=20

Three Seminars (concurrent) on the following themes:=20
The new issues facing the Irish Abroad
Moderator: Assistant Secretary Ray Bassett
Rapporteur: Rev Alan Hilliard=20

Future of relations with Irish America=20
Moderator: Ambassador Noel Fahey
Rapporteur: Wally Kirwan

Future policy in relation to the Irish in Britain
Moderator: Ambassador D=C3=A1ith=C3=AD O=E2=80=99Ceallaigh=20
Rapporteur: S=C3=A9amus McGarry

Attendance
Probably about 80, mainly Ireland-based but with some people from =
Britain
(e.g. FIS) and at least one ILIR rep.

Summary
Overall the mood was definitely feelgood and largely celebratory =
although a
few individuals attempted to introduce a more critical note. There was =
no
critical evaluation of the Task Force Report of 2002 and what had been
achieved/not achieved since then; there were a number of statements
referring to increases in funding and improvements in services as well =
as
the mantra (which it seems to me is unsupported by any solid evidence) =
that
the existence of the Diaspora is now accepted as a 'given' in Ireland.

The Minister's speech referred to the high level of expenditure this =
year on
emigrant support - =E2=82=AC15.2m - and the fact that this is an =
increase of 20%
over last year. He mentioned the elderly and socially deprived as =
issues of
concern. On the USA undocumented, he noted the introduction of a new
bipartisan bill in the US House of Representatives and welcomed this as =
a
significant advance. Both the Minister's speech and that of =
Representative
Neal (leading a nine-member US congressional delegation which was in =
town
for other reasons and which came to the opening of the conference) were
cautious but optimistic. Bilateral US/Ireland deals are clearly not on =
the
table for now although more than one speaker during the day referred to =
such
an option.=20

There was no mention on the official side of votes for emigrants, =
although a
few other speakers did bring up the topic.

A key theme which ran through the day was ownership. Who 'owns' the
Diaspora? Who speaks for it? Who defines 'Irishness' and 'Irish =
culture'
within the Diaspora? One trenchant speaker described the approach being
adopted as a patronising Ireland-based view of the Diaspora. There were
suggestions that some in Ireland might feel that they can still assert =
a
degree of 'control' over the Diaspora while at the same time seeking to
exploit them for new marketing and investment opportunities. A theme =
which
ran through a number of sessions was that of cultural identity - hardly
surprising as the President of the GAA was one of the guest speakers =
and
several members of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann were in the audience. To =
be
fair Nicky Brennan, GAA President, emphasised the theme of inclusivity =
- the
GAA should be attracting non-Irish supporters as well, both in Ireland =
and
in what he kept referring to as 'overseas territories'. But others felt =
that
an emphasis should also be placed on integration - maybe second =
generation
Irish should be playing the local sports instead of GAA and maybe the =
GAA
and Comhaltas suggest a certain kind of Irishness which did not =
represent
all the diverse strands in the Diaspora, including those from other
political traditions on the island.=20

There was general agreement that more needed to be done to project =
cultural
issues and to focus on 'generation 2' and beyond - the numbers of first
generation Irish abroad will continue to fall as fewer and fewer choose =
to
emigrate. The point was made that a changing perspective was needed as =
a
response to this, moving away from a rescue/support/welfare role.

Overall, while I don't wish to be accused of ageism, the 50yrs + =
profile of
nearly all of the speakers, the fact that there was only one female =
speaker
(even though there were people in the audience, such as Mary Hickman, =
Breda
Gray, Eithne Rynne and Yvonne Fleming who would have been much more
qualified to address the issues than some of those who were speakers) =
the
relatively narrow profile of the speakers and that fact that majority =
of
attendees were Ireland-based meant that we did not hear enough about
migrants on the margins, about the many and diverse strands of the =
Irish
Diaspora and about issues especially relevant to younger generation
migrants. It was also a bit unreal to be discussing undocumented =
migrants
and diasporic issues with almost no mention of the many diasporic
communities and undocumented migrants living in Ireland these days.=20

That said, to be fair to DFA (I declare an interest as an ex-member) I =
saw
no 'ownership' agenda on their part; there was a good deal of listening =
and
exchanging of views. While much of what was said in the morning session =
was
upbeat and excessively uncritical, the three workshop sessions were
businesslike and useful and a range of views, interests and proposals =
were
expressed.

Piaras

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Noreen Bowden
Subject: Re: Emigrant Voting Rights
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

There is an increasing international trend towards enhanced voting rights=
=20
for emigrant citizens in nations around the world - around 100 countries =
now=20
allow some form of external voting. Hasn't hit Ireland yet (Fianna F=E1il=
's=20
1997 election manifesto, which called for full voting rights for all=20
emigrants, notwithstanding), but I imagine that we will at some point nee=
d=20
to join most of our European peers. Whether this is years or decades away=
is=20
the question - but it will be interesting, for example, when media report=
s=20
begin appearing about Ireland's immigrants lining up in Dublin embassies =
to=20
vote in home elections.

Judging by the number of publications appearing recently, this is an issu=
e=20
that's coming into greater prominence internationally. Here are a few of =
the=20
best sources of information:

A report on external and absentee voting was published just last month by=
=20
the IFES, a US-based organisation dedicated to building democratic=20
societies. It's a good overview of the issues and arguments.
http://www.ifes.org/publication/3dd9c7573d5b38d597a995a5533d456e/3%20IFES=
%20Challenging%20Election%20Norms%20and%20Standards%20WP%20EXTVOT.pdf
This overview notes that in the US the right to dual citizenship (and vot=
ing=20
in other elections) was established in 1967, when the Supreme Court stopp=
ed=20
the US State Department from revoking the citizenship of a naturalised=20
citizen who voted in an Israeli election.


The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network - gives a good summary of external=20
voting rights for nations around the world, and also offers more in-depth=
=20
information on each country. It looks like it's slightly out of date,=20
however, as it doesn't include Mexico, which began allowing emigrants to=20
vote with its 2006 president elections.
http://aceproject.org/epic-en/vo/Epic_view/VO04 - lists those countries t=
hat=20
allow external voting http://aceproject.org/epic-en/vo/Epic_view/VO05 -=20
addresses voting places for those outside the country.


I am eagerly awaiting the upcoming IDEA Handbook on External Voting, comi=
ng=20
out at the end of May - it promises to be a comprehensive look at global=20
policies. (It will contain a section on host country attitudes.)=20
http://www.idea.int/elections/external_voting.cfm

For anyone really interested in the overall issue of emigrant citizenship=
,=20
there is an excellent issue of the NYU Law Review focusing on the topic a=
t
http://www.law.nyu.edu/journals/lawreview/issues/vol81/no1/index.html

Regards,
Noreen


Noreen Bowden
Director
=C9an - The Emigrant Advice Network
87/88 Senior House
All Hallows College, Grace Park Road
Drumcondra, Dublin 9
t: +353 1 8574108
e: noreen[at]emigrantnetwork.ie
w: http://www.emigrantnetwork.ie


----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Thomas J. Archdeacon"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 12:15 AM
Subject: [IR-D] Emigrant Voting Rights


Does anyone know of a summary source on the policies of nations regarding=
=20
the voting rights of emigrants? (I am excluding what Americans would=20
described as "absentee ballots" for persons on temporary assignments abro=
ad,=20
vacationers, military personnel, etc.) What about the attitudes of host=20
countries? At one time, a immigrant who had taken up American citizenshi=
p=20
would lose it if he or she voted in a foreign election. The implementati=
on=20
and interpretation of US law has become much more vague; courts generally=
=20
require an that loss of nationality come from explicit renunciation rathe=
r=20
than implicit action.

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Beh=
alf=20
Of MacEinri, Piaras
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 5:26 PM
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - tomorrow

Liam

I have been invited to this event and I know it's bad manners to bite the
hand that feeds you, but I wouldn't hold my breath about this conference.=
As
far as I can see, and trying to be charitable, the conference reflects th=
e
pre-election phase in which we currently find ourselves. The theme arises
from the fact that it's the fifth anniversary of the Task Force on
Emigration and it seems like a good time to take stock. But it only seems=
to
have been decided a couple of weeks ago and the main speakers do not incl=
ude
those who would be regarded as leading experts in the field (I can say th=
is
with a clear conscience as there are no sour grapes of a personal kind. I=
do
not research or write about the Diaspora these days, since I am no longer=
a
member..but I can think of several very obvious people who do and none is=
on
the list of speakers. Several will, however, be in attendance).

I could see some purpose to this conference if it was to include a seriou=
s
retrospective look at the Task Force Report (what has been achieved? what
new programmes were launched? what remains to be done? etc.). But I am no=
t
persuaded that anything of this nature will be attempted or that the area=
s
which continue to demand attention (e.g. elderly Irish in Britain, social=
ly
marginalised migrants, issues concerning return migrants) will actually b=
e
debated. I assume, although I don't know, that something generally positi=
ve
will be said about the situation regarding undocumented Irish in the USA;=
in
the run-up to an election the Minister is hardly going to focus on proble=
ms.
I expect a generally feelgood atmosphere.

I'll report back in due course.

best

Piaras

-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Sent: 4/3/2007 3:47 PM
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - tomorrow

Does anybody know a way to acquire the speeches/papers for this
conference tomorrow: I'd really love to know what is said at this.

Liam Clarke

-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On
Behalf Of Sarah Morgan
Sent: Tuesday, April 03,:51 AM
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: [IR-D] Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - tomorrow

List members will be interested in an article from today's Irish Times,
which I am pasting in below. It will involve members of the US Congress,
but I can't tell from the piece whether representatives from other
destination countries are included, although the chair of the Irish
Government's Taskforce on Policy Regarding Emigrants is listed as a
participant.

Sarah Morgan.
---------------------------

Ahern stresses important role of Irish emigrants Deagl=E1n de Br=E9ad=FAn=
,
Political Correspondent Tue, Apr 03, 2007 Irish emigrants and their
descendants continued to play a "very important role" in the world on
Ireland's behalf, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot
Ahern.
Mr Ahern was announcing yesterday the programme for a one-day conference
called Ireland's Attitude to the Diaspora, to be held in Dublin Castle
tomorrow.
The conference is intended to launch a national debate. Speakers include
the newly appointed chairman of the Friends of Ireland in the US
Congress, Richard Neal, who is currently leading a nine-member
congressional delegation on a visit to Ireland.
Mr Ahern will deliver the opening address; other speakers include former
chairman of the Task Force on Policy regarding Emigrants, Paddy
O'Hanlon; GAA president Nicky Brennan; Prof Terri Scott; former Belfast
lord mayor Dr Ian Adamson; and journalist and author Tim Pat Coogan.
"I believe the time is right for a major review of how Ireland relates
with its diaspora," Mr Ahern said yesterday. "We need to focus on
building a new strategy for the years ahead."
The Minister added: "While we may be separated by water and thousand of
miles from our kinsmen and women, they still continue to play a very
important role for Ireland on the world stage and can have a very
positive and beneficial impact on everyone living on this island."
=A9 2007 The Irish Times

_________________________________________________________________
Txt a lot? Get Messenger FREE on your mobile.
https://livemessenger.mobile.uk.msn.com/



--=20
Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.18/734 - Release Date: 26/03/20=
07=20
14:31

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Liam Greenslade
Subject: Re: Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - 4 April
In-Reply-To:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Dear all,

I can only confirm Piaras's description and analysis of yesterday's =
events. There was a definite sense of self-congratulation about the =
whole day coupled with a quite patronising attitude towards the =
non-indigenous Irish.=20

A slightly more absurdist account will be appearing on my blog =
(http://liamgr.blogspot.com) later.

Best

Liam

PS Piaras, good to see both you and Mary H yesterday. Keep in touch

=20

-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On =
Behalf Of MacEinri, Piaras
Sent: 05 April 2007 13:43
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - 4 April

Dear All

I gather some kind of report of yesterday's meeting will be prepared; I
won't go into great detail as I don't really have the time today but can
certainly expand on points of interest if anyone has a query. There were =
a
few other list contributors (e.g. Liam Greenslade, Mary Hickman) at the
conference as well.

Agenda:

Opening Address by Mr Dermot Ahern TD Minister for Foreign Affairs
US Congressional Delegation - Representative Richard E Neal

Guest speakers:=20
Paddy O=E2=80=99Hanlon, Former Chairman of the Task Force on Policy =
regarding
Emigrants=20
Mr Nickey Brennan, President of the GAA
Professor Terri Scott, CEO, The Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship. IDA
Board Member=20
Dr Ian Adamson, former Lord Mayor of Belfast
Mr Tim Pat Coogan, Journalist and Author of =E2=80=9CWherever Green is =
Worn=E2=80=9D, on
the Irish Diaspora=20

Three Seminars (concurrent) on the following themes:=20
The new issues facing the Irish Abroad
Moderator: Assistant Secretary Ray Bassett
Rapporteur: Rev Alan Hilliard=20

Future of relations with Irish America=20
Moderator: Ambassador Noel Fahey
Rapporteur: Wally Kirwan

Future policy in relation to the Irish in Britain
Moderator: Ambassador D=C3=A1ith=C3=AD O=E2=80=99Ceallaigh=20
Rapporteur: S=C3=A9amus McGarry

Attendance
Probably about 80, mainly Ireland-based but with some people from =
Britain
(e.g. FIS) and at least one ILIR rep.

Summary
Overall the mood was definitely feelgood and largely celebratory =
although a
few individuals attempted to introduce a more critical note. There was =
no
critical evaluation of the Task Force Report of 2002 and what had been
achieved/not achieved since then; there were a number of statements
referring to increases in funding and improvements in services as well =
as
the mantra (which it seems to me is unsupported by any solid evidence) =
that
the existence of the Diaspora is now accepted as a 'given' in Ireland.

The Minister's speech referred to the high level of expenditure this =
year on
emigrant support - =E2=82=AC15.2m - and the fact that this is an =
increase of 20%
over last year. He mentioned the elderly and socially deprived as issues =
of
concern. On the USA undocumented, he noted the introduction of a new
bipartisan bill in the US House of Representatives and welcomed this as =
a
significant advance. Both the Minister's speech and that of =
Representative
Neal (leading a nine-member US congressional delegation which was in =
town
for other reasons and which came to the opening of the conference) were
cautious but optimistic. Bilateral US/Ireland deals are clearly not on =
the
table for now although more than one speaker during the day referred to =
such
an option.=20

There was no mention on the official side of votes for emigrants, =
although a
few other speakers did bring up the topic.

A key theme which ran through the day was ownership. Who 'owns' the
Diaspora? Who speaks for it? Who defines 'Irishness' and 'Irish culture'
within the Diaspora? One trenchant speaker described the approach being
adopted as a patronising Ireland-based view of the Diaspora. There were
suggestions that some in Ireland might feel that they can still assert a
degree of 'control' over the Diaspora while at the same time seeking to
exploit them for new marketing and investment opportunities. A theme =
which
ran through a number of sessions was that of cultural identity - hardly
surprising as the President of the GAA was one of the guest speakers and
several members of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann were in the audience. To =
be
fair Nicky Brennan, GAA President, emphasised the theme of inclusivity - =
the
GAA should be attracting non-Irish supporters as well, both in Ireland =
and
in what he kept referring to as 'overseas territories'. But others felt =
that
an emphasis should also be placed on integration - maybe second =
generation
Irish should be playing the local sports instead of GAA and maybe the =
GAA
and Comhaltas suggest a certain kind of Irishness which did not =
represent
all the diverse strands in the Diaspora, including those from other
political traditions on the island.=20

There was general agreement that more needed to be done to project =
cultural
issues and to focus on 'generation 2' and beyond - the numbers of first
generation Irish abroad will continue to fall as fewer and fewer choose =
to
emigrate. The point was made that a changing perspective was needed as a
response to this, moving away from a rescue/support/welfare role.

Overall, while I don't wish to be accused of ageism, the 50yrs + profile =
of
nearly all of the speakers, the fact that there was only one female =
speaker
(even though there were people in the audience, such as Mary Hickman, =
Breda
Gray, Eithne Rynne and Yvonne Fleming who would have been much more
qualified to address the issues than some of those who were speakers) =
the
relatively narrow profile of the speakers and that fact that majority of
attendees were Ireland-based meant that we did not hear enough about
migrants on the margins, about the many and diverse strands of the Irish
Diaspora and about issues especially relevant to younger generation
migrants. It was also a bit unreal to be discussing undocumented =
migrants
and diasporic issues with almost no mention of the many diasporic
communities and undocumented migrants living in Ireland these days.=20

That said, to be fair to DFA (I declare an interest as an ex-member) I =
saw
no 'ownership' agenda on their part; there was a good deal of listening =
and
exchanging of views. While much of what was said in the morning session =
was
upbeat and excessively uncritical, the three workshop sessions were
businesslike and useful and a range of views, interests and proposals =
were
expressed.

Piaras

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: "Thomas J. Archdeacon"
Organization: UW-Madison
Subject: Re: Emigrant Voting Rights
In-Reply-To:
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable

Thanks to Noreen Bowden for providing the sources about emigrant voting. I=
have just a caveat or two. The NYU law journal to which she calls attenti=
on is focused on arguments in favor of emigrant voting rights. It does not=
necessarily reflect the overall judgment of legal experts. I say this on =
the basis of an earlier reading of Peter Schuck's introductory essay in the=
volume. (Schuck is a "heavy hitter" in the field of citizenship law). Th=
e papers were apparently generated as part of a symposium in honor of the m=
emory of a young scholar in the field, Kim Barry. Schuck's essay is genero=
us regarding her work and points out the strengths of the papers, but it's =
hard to miss the skepticism in some of his comments. =


Likewise, the statement that the right to dual citizenship was established =
by SCOTUS's 1967 Afroyim v. Rusk decision is an exaggeration. As I said in=
my message (being conscious of Afroyim v. Rusk), US policy is now muddy on=
this matter. Court decisions have made it difficult to give up U.S. citiz=
enship inadvertently and thus stopped the State Department's practice of ca=
ncelling it in cases like the one in question. U.S. government statements =
still "discourage" dual citizenship. Here's a URL for a useful site on the=
subject: http://www.richw.org/dualcit/.


The Court has in no way challenged Congress's power to establish criteria b=
anning dual citizenship. In that sense, it did not made dual citizenship a=
"right." In other decisions, courts have limited the right of the federal =
and state government to deny persons jobs due to "alienage." (Being an ali=
en still precludes employment for a few positions). It would be interestin=
g to see what the courts would do if the government decided to ban persons =
with dual citizenship from a wider set of positions (e.g., Customs and Bord=
er Patrol, Defense Department, FBI) on the basis of the claims of loyalty t=
hat the other nation might exert. =


In her recent message, Carmel notes that her prior comments refer to person=
s living abroad who have not taken up citizenship in the host country. Tha=
t I suppose is a simpler case in that such a person probably does not have =
the right to vote in the country of her or his current residence. The matt=
er is then mostly an issue between the migrant and his or her country of or=
igin. Indeed, in the case of the U.S., Washington might welcome the opport=
unity to have persons somewhat integrated into American society having voti=
ng rights in other nations.

Below is what the State Department currently says. Note the vagueness in t=
he statement, "Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct."

"The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a citizen of two co=
untries at the same time. Each country has its own citizenship laws based o=
n its own policy. Persons may have dual nationality by automatic operation=
of different laws rather than by choice. For example, a child born in a fo=
reign country to U.S. citizen parents may be both a U.S. citizen and a citi=
zen of the country of birth.

"A U.S. citizen may acquire foreign citizenship by marriage, or a person na=
turalized as a U.S. citizen may not lose the citizenship of the country of =
birth. U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to c=
hoose one citizenship or another. Also, a person who is automatically grant=
ed another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a pe=
rson who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. ci=
tizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the per=
son must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and=
with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.

"Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct. The U.S. Gover=
nment recognizes that dual nationality exists but does not encourage it as =
a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other co=
untries on dual national U.S. citizens may conflict with U.S. law, and dual=
nationality may limit U.S. Government efforts to assist citizens abroad. T=
he country where a dual national is located generally has a stronger claim =
to that person's allegiance.

"However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the f=
oreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Eithe=
r country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person lat=
er travels there. Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a =
U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also=
be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave =
that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenshi=
p. Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship=
.=


"Information on losing foreign citizenship can be obtained from the foreign=
country's embassy and consulates in the United States. Americans can renou=
nce U.S. citizenship in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates ab=
road."

Tom





-----Original Message-----
From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behal=
f Of Noreen Bowden
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2007 10:47 AM
To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
Subject: Re: [IR-D] Emigrant Voting Rights

There is an increasing international trend towards enhanced voting rights =

for emigrant citizens in nations around the world - around 100 countries no=
w =

allow some form of external voting. Hasn't hit Ireland yet (Fianna F=E1il's=
=

1997 election manifesto, which called for full voting rights for all =

emigrants, notwithstanding), but I imagine that we will at some point need =
=

to join most of our European peers. Whether this is years or decades away i=
s =

the question - but it will be interesting, for example, when media reports =
=

begin appearing about Ireland's immigrants lining up in Dublin embassies to=
=

vote in home elections.

Judging by the number of publications appearing recently, this is an issue =
=

that's coming into greater prominence internationally. Here are a few of th=
e =

best sources of information:

A report on external and absentee voting was published just last month by =

the IFES, a US-based organisation dedicated to building democratic =

societies. It's a good overview of the issues and arguments.
http://www.ifes.org/publication/3dd9c7573d5b38d597a995a5533d456e/3%20IFES%2=
0Challenging%20Election%20Norms%20and%20Standards%20WP%20EXTVOT.pdf
This overview notes that in the US the right to dual citizenship (and votin=
g =

in other elections) was established in 1967, when the Supreme Court stopped=
=

the US State Department from revoking the citizenship of a naturalised =

citizen who voted in an Israeli election.


The ACE Electoral Knowledge Network - gives a good summary of external =

voting rights for nations around the world, and also offers more in-depth =

information on each country. It looks like it's slightly out of date, =

however, as it doesn't include Mexico, which began allowing emigrants to =

vote with its 2006 president elections.
http://aceproject.org/epic-en/vo/Epic_view/VO04 - lists those countries tha=
t =

allow external voting http://aceproject.org/epic-en/vo/Epic_view/VO05 - =

addresses voting places for those outside the country.


I am eagerly awaiting the upcoming IDEA Handbook on External Voting, coming=
=

out at the end of May - it promises to be a comprehensive look at global =

policies. (It will contain a section on host country attitudes.) =

http://www.idea.int/elections/external_voting.cfm

For anyone really interested in the overall issue of emigrant citizenship, =
=

there is an excellent issue of the NYU Law Review focusing on the topic at
http://www.law.nyu.edu/journals/lawreview/issues/vol81/no1/index.html

Regards,
Noreen


Noreen Bowden
Director
=C9an - The Emigrant Advice Network
87/88 Senior House
All Hallows College, Grace Park Road
Drumcondra, Dublin 9
t: +353 1 8574108
e: noreen[at]emigrantnetwork.ie
w: http://www.emigrantnetwork.ie

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: MICHAEL CURRAN
Subject: Re: Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - 4 April
In-Reply-To:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Yes
the agenda was obvious. Why did the USA and UK agency
people (and Tim Pat)have to pack the proceedings? They
will be having their say again in their respective
patches- of course maybe we can be invited there as
well!!! The Greenslade guy did make an impact too.=20
Was it because he was one of the few with a non-Irish
accent?
We will have to get our heads together soon for our
"Irish identity and integration"
submission/publication.
Happy Easter
Michael=20


--- Liam Greenslade
wrote:

> Dear all,
>=20
> I can only confirm Piaras's description and analysis
> of yesterday's events. There was a definite sense of
> self-congratulation about the whole day coupled with
> a quite patronising attitude towards the
> non-indigenous Irish.=20
>=20
> A slightly more absurdist account will be appearing
> on my blog (http://liamgr.blogspot.com) later.
>=20
> Best
>=20
> Liam
>=20
> PS Piaras, good to see both you and Mary H
> yesterday. Keep in touch
>=20
> =20
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
> [mailto:IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK] On Behalf Of MacEinri,
> Piaras
> Sent: 05 April 2007 13:43
> To: IR-D[at]JISCMAIL.AC.UK
> Subject: Re: [IR-D] Conference: Ireland's Attitude
> to Diaspora - 4 April
>=20
> Dear All
>=20
> I gather some kind of report of yesterday's meeting
> will be prepared; I
> won't go into great detail as I don't really have
> the time today but can
> certainly expand on points of interest if anyone has
> a query. There were a
> few other list contributors (e.g. Liam Greenslade,
> Mary Hickman) at the
> conference as well.
>=20
> Agenda:
>=20
> Opening Address by Mr Dermot Ahern TD Minister for
> Foreign Affairs
> US Congressional Delegation - Representative Richard
> E Neal
>=20
> Guest speakers:=20
> Paddy O=E2=80=99Hanlon, Former Chairman of the Task Force
> on Policy regarding
> Emigrants=20
> Mr Nickey Brennan, President of the GAA
> Professor Terri Scott, CEO, The Ryan Academy for
> Entrepreneurship. IDA
> Board Member=20
> Dr Ian Adamson, former Lord Mayor of Belfast
> Mr Tim Pat Coogan, Journalist and Author of=20
> =E2=80=9CWherever Green is Worn=E2=80?, on
> the Irish Diaspora=20
>=20
> Three Seminars (concurrent) on the following themes:
>=20
> The new issues facing the Irish Abroad
> Moderator: Assistant Secretary Ray Bassett
> Rapporteur: Rev Alan Hilliard=20
>=20
> Future of relations with Irish America=20
> Moderator: Ambassador Noel Fahey
> Rapporteur: Wally Kirwan
>=20
> Future policy in relation to the Irish in Britain
> Moderator: Ambassador D=C3=A1ith=C3- O=E2=80=99Ceallaigh=20
> Rapporteur: S=C3=A9amus McGarry
>=20
> Attendance
> Probably about 80, mainly Ireland-based but with
> some people from Britain
> (e.g. FIS) and at least one ILIR rep.
>=20
> Summary
> Overall the mood was definitely feelgood and largely
> celebratory although a
> few individuals attempted to introduce a more
> critical note. There was no
> critical evaluation of the Task Force Report of 2002
> and what had been
> achieved/not achieved since then; there were a
> number of statements
> referring to increases in funding and improvements
> in services as well as
> the mantra (which it seems to me is unsupported by
> any solid evidence) that
> the existence of the Diaspora is now accepted as a
> 'given' in Ireland.
>=20
> The Minister's speech referred to the high level of
> expenditure this year on
> emigrant support - =E2=82=AC15.2m - and the fact that this
> is an increase of 20%
> over last year. He mentioned the elderly and
> socially deprived as issues of
> concern. On the USA undocumented, he noted the
> introduction of a new
> bipartisan bill in the US House of Representatives
> and welcomed this as a
> significant advance. Both the Minister's speech and
> that of Representative
> Neal (leading a nine-member US congressional
> delegation which was in town
> for other reasons and which came to the opening of
> the conference) were
> cautious but optimistic. Bilateral US/Ireland deals
> are clearly not on the
> table for now although more than one speaker during
> the day referred to such
> an option.=20
>=20
> There was no mention on the official side of votes
> for emigrants, although a
> few other speakers did bring up the topic.
>=20
> A key theme which ran through the day was ownership.
> Who 'owns' the
> Diaspora? Who speaks for it? Who defines 'Irishness'
> and 'Irish culture'
> within the Diaspora? One trenchant speaker described
> the approach being
> adopted as a patronising Ireland-based view of the
> Diaspora. There were
> suggestions that some in Ireland might feel that
> they can still assert a
> degree of 'control' over the Diaspora while at the
> same time seeking to
> exploit them for new marketing and investment
> opportunities. A theme which
> ran through a number of sessions was that of
> cultural identity - hardly
> surprising as the President of the GAA was one of
> the guest speakers and
> several members of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann were
> in the audience. To be
> fair Nicky Brennan, GAA President, emphasised the
> theme of inclusivity - the
> GAA should be attracting non-Irish supporters as
> well, both in Ireland and
> in what he kept referring to as 'overseas
> territories'. But others felt that
> an emphasis should also be placed on integration -
> maybe second generation
> Irish should be playing the local sports instead of
> GAA and maybe the GAA
> and Comhaltas suggest a certain kind of Irishness
> which did not represent
> all the diverse strands in the Diaspora, including
> those from other
> political traditions on the island.=20
>=20
> There was general agreement that more needed to be
> done to project cultural
> issues and to focus on 'generation 2' and beyond -
> the numbers of first
> generation Irish abroad will continue to fall as
> fewer and fewer choose to
> emigrate. The point was made that a changing
> perspective was needed as a
> response to this, moving away from a
> rescue/support/welfare role.
>=20
> Overall, while I don't wish to be accused of ageism,
> the 50yrs + profile of
> nearly all of the speakers, the fact that there was
> only one female speaker
> (even though there were people in the audience, such
> as Mary Hickman, Breda
> Gray, Eithne Rynne and Yvonne Fleming who would have
> been much more
> qualified to address the issues than some of those
> who were speakers) the
> relatively narrow profile of the speakers and that
> fact that majority of
> attendees were Ireland-based meant that we did not
> hear enough about
> migrants on the margins, about the many and diverse
> strands of the Irish
> Diaspora and about issues especially relevant to
> younger generation
> migrants. It was also a bit unreal to be discussing
> undocumented migrants
> and diasporic issues with almost no mention of the
> many diasporic
> communities and undocumented migrants living in
> Ireland these days.=20
>=20
> That said, to be fair to DFA (I declare an interest
> as an ex-member) I saw
> no 'ownership' agenda on their part; there was a
> good deal of listening and
> exchanging of views. While much of what was said in
> the morning session was
> upbeat and excessively uncritical, the three
> workshop=20
=3D=3D=3D message truncated =3D=3D=3D

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: MICHAEL CURRAN
Subject: Re: Conference: Ireland's Attitude to Diaspora - 4 April
In-Reply-To:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Good to meet you there yesterday Piaras.
I brought up one arecommendation of the Task Force in
our group - chaired by Ray B. I suggested that there
has been little empirical solid research done on
different aspects of Irish migration. That suggestion
was shot down by deputies representing vested
interests in London and in the USA. Agencies there
have been literally saturated with Irish tax-payers
money in past few years, so objectivity is anathema. =20
Another point - we were advised that the meeting was
intended to assess Irish -based attitudes to the
Diaspora (such a terrible term!). Why then were the US
and USA people there? They will be having similar
think-tanks in both America and Britain, where no
doubt the usual agencies will be present "cap in
hand". Maybe we will be invited along to balance
things out!
By the way I always detect an anti-academics lobby at
these type of gatherings. Being from the Falls, I am
probably biased anyway. Tim Pat is still "joining the
dots"
Slan agus beannacht
Michael
--- "MacEinri, Piaras" wrote:

> Dear All
>=20
> I gather some kind of report of yesterday's meeting
> will be prepared; I
> won't go into great detail as I don't really have
> the time today but can
> certainly expand on points of interest if anyone has
> a query. There were a
> few other list contributors (e.g. Liam Greenslade,
> Mary Hickman) at the
> conference as well.
>=20
> Agenda:
>=20
> Opening Address by Mr Dermot Ahern TD Minister for
> Foreign Affairs
> US Congressional Delegation - Representative Richard
> E Neal
>=20
> Guest speakers:=20
> Paddy O=E2=80=99Hanlon, Former Chairman of the Task Force
> on Policy regarding
> Emigrants=20
> Mr Nickey Brennan, President of the GAA
> Professor Terri Scott, CEO, The Ryan Academy for
> Entrepreneurship. IDA
> Board Member=20
> Dr Ian Adamson, former Lord Mayor of Belfast
> Mr Tim Pat Coogan, Journalist and Author of=20
> =E2=80=9CWherever Green is Worn=E2=80?, on
> the Irish Diaspora=20
>=20
> Three Seminars (concurrent) on the following themes:
>=20
> The new issues facing the Irish Abroad
> Moderator: Assistant Secretary Ray Bassett
> Rapporteur: Rev Alan Hilliard=20
>=20
> Future of relations with Irish America=20
> Moderator: Ambassador Noel Fahey
> Rapporteur: Wally Kirwan
>=20
> Future policy in relation to the Irish in Britain
> Moderator: Ambassador D=C3=A1ith=C3- O=E2=80=99Ceallaigh=20
> Rapporteur: S=C3=A9amus McGarry
>=20
> Attendance
> Probably about 80, mainly Ireland-based but with
> some people from Britain
> (e.g. FIS) and at least one ILIR rep.
>=20
> Summary
> Overall the mood was definitely feelgood and largely
> celebratory although a
> few individuals attempted to introduce a more
> critical note. There was no
> critical evaluation of the Task Force Report of 2002
> and what had been
> achieved/not achieved since then; there were a
> number of statements
> referring to increases in funding and improvements
> in services as well as
> the mantra (which it seems to me is unsupported by
> any solid evidence) that
> the existence of the Diaspora is now accepted as a
> 'given' in Ireland.
>=20
> The Minister's speech referred to the high level of
> expenditure this year on
> emigrant support - =E2=82=AC15.2m - and the fact that this
> is an increase of 20%
> over last year. He mentioned the elderly and
> socially deprived as issues of
> concern. On the USA undocumented, he noted the
> introduction of a new
> bipartisan bill in the US House of Representatives
> and welcomed this as a
> significant advance. Both the Minister's speech and
> that of Representative
> Neal (leading a nine-member US congressional
> delegation which was in town
> for other reasons and which came to the opening of
> the conference) were
> cautious but optimistic. Bilateral US/Ireland deals
> are clearly not on the
> table for now although more than one speaker during
> the day referred to such
> an option.=20
>=20
> There was no mention on the official side of votes
> for emigrants, although a
> few other speakers did bring up the topic.
>=20
> A key theme which ran through the day was ownership.
> Who 'owns' the
> Diaspora? Who speaks for it? Who defines 'Irishness'
> and 'Irish culture'
> within the Diaspora? One trenchant speaker described
> the approach being
> adopted as a patronising Ireland-based view of the
> Diaspora. There were
> suggestions that some in Ireland might feel that
> they can still assert a
> degree of 'control' over the Diaspora while at the
> same time seeking to
> exploit them for new marketing and investment
> opportunities. A theme which
> ran through a number of sessions was that of
> cultural identity - hardly
> surprising as the President of the GAA was one of
> the guest speakers and
> several members of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann were
> in the audience. To be
> fair Nicky Brennan, GAA President, emphasised the
> theme of inclusivity - the
> GAA should be attracting non-Irish supporters as
> well, both in Ireland and
> in what he kept referring to as 'overseas
> territories'. But others felt that
> an emphasis should also be placed on integration -
> maybe second generation
> Irish should be playing the local sports instead of
> GAA and maybe the GAA
> and Comhaltas suggest a certain kind of Irishness
> which did not represent
> all the diverse strands in the Diaspora, including
> those from other
> political traditions on the island.=20
>=20
> There was general agreement that more needed to be
> done to project cultural
> issues and to focus on 'generation 2' and beyond -
> the numbers of first
> generation Irish abroad will continue to fall as
> fewer and fewer choose to
> emigrate. The point was made that a changing
> perspective was needed as a
> response to this, moving away from a
> rescue/support/welfare role.
>=20
> Overall, while I don't wish to be accused of ageism,
> the 50yrs + profile of
> nearly all of the speakers, the fact that there was
> only one female speaker
> (even though there were people in the audience, such
> as Mary Hickman, Breda
> Gray, Eithne Rynne and Yvonne Fleming who would have
> been much more
> qualified to address the issues than some of those
> who were speakers) the
> relatively narrow profile of the speakers and that
> fact that majority of
> attendees were Ireland-based meant that we did not
> hear enough about
> migrants on the margins, about the many and diverse
> strands of the Irish
> Diaspora and about issues especially relevant to
> younger generation
> migrants. It was also a bit unreal to be discussing
> undocumented migrants
> and diasporic issues with almost no mention of the
> many diasporic
> communities and undocumented migrants living in
> Ireland these days.=20
>=20
> That said, to be fair to DFA (I declare an interest
> as an ex-member) I saw
> no 'ownership' agenda on their part; there was a
> good deal of listening and
> exchanging of views. While much of what was said in
> the morning session was
> upbeat and excessively uncritical, the three
> workshop sessions were
> businesslike and useful and a range of views,
> interests and proposals were
> expressed.
>=20
> Piaras
>=20
>=20

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Elizabeth Malcolm
Subject: Emigrant Voting Rights
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit

Might I just mention the right of graduates of Irish universities, living abroad, to
vote in Irish senate elections - a right I've been exercising regularly for the last
25 years. I don't know of any other country that retains university seats and a
graduate voting right.

Also, in this country, where voting has been compulsory since the 1920s, citizens
living or travelling abroad and still registered are obliged to vote or face a
substantial fine. I expect to be in Ireland during the Australian federal elections
later this year and so will have to organise a postal vote.

Elizabeth

__________________________________________________
Professor Elizabeth Malcolm ~ Gerry Higgins Chair of Irish Studies ~ School of
Historical Studies ~ University of Melbourne ~ Victoria, 3010, AUSTRALIA ~ Phone:
+61-3-83443924 ~ FAX: +61-3-83447894 ~ Email: e.malcolm[at]unimelb.edu.au
__________________________________________________

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Obituary, John O'Callaghan
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

From today's Guardian...

Obituary
John O'Callaghan


Martin Wainwright
Friday April 6, 2007
The Guardian

John O'Callaghan, who has died aged 72, was a vivid and graceful writer for
the Guardian throughout the 1960s; he resigned on an issue of principle, a
very unusual course of action for one of the paper's journalists. In common
with some outside the office, he felt that the scale of injustice in
Northern Ireland was underestimated and the nature of Irish republicanism
misunderstood. The paper's traditions and collegiate handling of internal
debate failed to reassure him that his copy would survive unscathed. He gave
up a job he loved and it was a loss to both sides.

O'Callaghan had proud Irish roots. His father was from Cork and his mother
from county Clare. But he was born in Croydon, south London, and brought up
in a thoroughly English manner, which later gave him a sense of being too
Irish for England and too much of a Brit to be at home in the Ireland of the
time. His parents had both suffered from the Black and Tans, his father
having seen the lawless volunteers burn St Patrick's Street in Cork, but
they became loyal servants of the crown.

While John excelled at the local John Fisher school in Purley, his father,
who had volunteered for the RAF at the end of the first world war, worked
for HM Customs. His mother was an administrator in the Inland Revenue until
compulsory retirement on pregnancy, after which she devoted herself to
bringing up three sons. John won a place to Trinity College, Cambridge, but
opted to do his national service first.

This was one of several significant experiences, bringing a posting to the
Suez canal a year before the 1956 crisis, but also a stubborn reaction
against authority. He even renounced smoking because it was the done thing
in the army.

Somehow avoiding court martial, he was discharged early and hitchhiked back
to Britain and Cambridge, where he studied English literature under FR
Leavis. He then took a job with Turner and Newall, where the corporate
equivalent of sergeant majors saw him resign within a month. It was
journalism's gain; he found a job on the Croydon Advertiser and then, in
1960, at the Guardian's office in Manchester, where he was central to a
young and lively team. He moved to London in 1967.

His decade's work on the paper was widely admired, taking him all over
Britain in search of oddities such as the gold-tapped Goslett Conversation
bath, designed to take two people. He also reported widely overseas and was
one of a succession of Guardian motoring correspondents who disliked cars,
earning reproofs from manufacturers who considered his criticisms
unpatriotic.

He was also a keen cyclist, motorcyclist and pilot, talking his way into
Cambridge University air squadron despite being just under their minimum
height requirement of 5ft 4in. On one occasion he found himself over King's
College with aviation fuel streaming from his wing after he had forgotten to
screw back the fuel cap, but landed safely.

Another turning point came when he covered the Biafran war in Nigeria in the
late 1960s. He found himself powerless, amid circumstances which were
clearly leading towards carnage. A significant article describes his
frustration at being unable to persuade the rebel leader Odumegwu Ojukwu to
change policies during an interview, as if a British reporter could
single-handedly alter the course of events.

John's strong sense of injustice was similarly outraged by Northern Ireland,
where he also felt a personal stake. Although the friendliest of colleagues,
whose many personal links to the paper survived until his death, he felt
increasingly unhappy at work. He was a leading critic of Guardian management
in the National Union of Journalists and successive crises in that field
coincided with the arguments about Ireland. In 1972 he chose to go,
sacrificing a comfortable salary and his best job.

His move to the Irish Free Press led to encounters with prejudice on the
other side of Northern Ireland's bitter controversies which upset him every
bit as much. He was happier at Radio Telefis Eireann, first in Belfast and
then most successfully in London where his Anglo-Irishness came into its
own. Colleagues and rivals have many stories of his generosity with stories
and contacts, as well as vigorous religious debates; he was a lifelong
supporter of traditional Catholicism, bereft at the loss of Latin and once
hiring a train to take fellow enthusiasts to celebrate Tridentine Mass.

Before retiring in 1986 to restore a watermill near Bordeaux, where he
enjoyed cycling and free electricity after installing a turbine, O'Callaghan
freelanced for a range of media, still hunting down injustices and pressing
for remedies. He never lost a restlessness, which later took him to London,
Bath and York, where he died after fracturing his skull in a fall at home.
Gregarious and much-loved, he had an inner shyness, and as he never married,
there was no one to help. He leaves his brothers Gerald and Vincent.

. John O'Callaghan, journalist, born December 3 1934; died March 23 2007

http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,2051253,00.html

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Article, McNicholas,
Rebels at heart: the National Brotherhood of Saint Patrick and
the Irish Liberator
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Email Patrick O'Sullivan

Many IR-D members will be interested in

Anthony McNicholas

'Rebels at heart: the National Brotherhood of Saint Patrick and the Irish
Liberator'
Media History, Vol 13, No 1 April 2007.

This journal does not have abstracts.

A web search for 'Media History' is of course problematic. The journal is
one of the Taylor & Francis/Routledge stable, now badged under Informaworld.

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713437611

The article is a fine piece of work by Anthony McNicholas, a real addition
to the historiography of the Fenians.

I am a bit worried that this simple fact will not become evident to the
databases (recognising the fact that the very word 'Fenians' has become a
kind of historian's shorthand) - but you have to know a little bit about the
National Brotherhood of Saint Patrick and the short-lived London-based
newspaper, the Irish Liberator, 1863-64, to realise from the title that this
item is worth pursuing.

McNicholas offers a very useful summary of the recent Fenian historiography
- including that odd spat between Comerford and Newsinger. (And here I
think that my own observation that ethnic identities tend to coalesce around
leisure activities might be relevant.) Nice to see Patrick Quinlivan's
observations used and acknowledged.

Then there is a careful reading of the surviving issues of the Irish
Liberator, the personalities involved, and the personality clashes.
McNicholas has managed to find ways to give us a feel for secret Irish
London, with some material new to me. The rest of the story involves, of
course, the usual diasporic flight to the USA, and subsequent careers. So
really the author has provided us with easy steps to place this work within
wider diaspora studies.

Our congratulations to Anthony McNicholas. Usual between the lines
conditions apply.

P.O'S.

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

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

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Article,
Food system vulnerability: Using past famines to help understand
how food systems may adapt to climate change
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Email Patrick O'Sullivan

I will continue to post to Ir-D items like this, articles of interest =
that
have appeared in our alerts, but have not yet been assigned a place in =
the
paper journal... Because, if I wait, I forget...

This article is part of a longer project looking at the kind of =
information
policy makers will need as the problems of climate change and food
production loom.

The article looks at historic data and secondary sources to establish =
this
basic framework. It thus puts the experiences of the Irish Famine in an
interesting context.

P.O'S.

Ecological Complexity
Article in Press, Corrected Proof=20

Copyright =A9 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Food system vulnerability: Using past famines to help understand how =
food
systems may adapt to climate change

Evan D.G. Fraser

aSustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment,
University of Leeds, Leeds LS29JT, UK

Available online 28 March 2007.

Abstract

Throughout human history, food production has had to adapt to =
continuously
changing environmental circumstances. In most cases, these challenges =
are
met without any great hardship. In other cases, seemingly small
environmental problems (such as droughts or floods) have devastating
consequences. This suggests some food systems are more vulnerable than
others. Assessing and identifying which regions are vulnerable to
environmental problems, however, is challenging because food systems
represent constantly evolving systems where farmers continually make
decisions that help adapt to changing circumstances. Many existing
theoretical frameworks to assess vulnerability fall along a continuum =
from
those that are too macro (because they are based on large-scale
generalizations that ignore local contextual issues) or are too micro
(because they are so site specific that they obscure general trends). A
landscape ecology approach offers an interesting compromise whereby =
scholars
have used a small number of local variables (such as the diversity of
species present in the system and the extent to which individuals in the
system are connected to other individuals) to characterize the =
vulnerability
of ecosystems to shocks such as wildfires and pest outbreaks. However,
preliminary research suggests this approach may not work particularly =
well
on human managed ecosystems. As such, this paper uses a range of =
historical
examples (such as the Irish Potato Famine and El Ni=F1o induced famines =
in the
late 18th century) to integrate these frameworks to help identify
vulnerability within food systems to environmental changes.

Keywords: Climate change; Impacts; Adaptation; Resilience; =
Vulnerability;
Food security

Article Outline

1. Introduction: vulnerability to climate change within food systems
2. Literature: theories on vulnerability
3. Analysis: some common threats of past famines
4. Discussion: developing a framework to identify vulnerability
5. Conclusion: the next steps
Acknowledgements
References

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Article, Caitr=?iso-8859-1?Q?=EDona_N=ED?= Laoire,
The 'green green gra ss of home'? Return migration to rural
Ireland
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Email Patrick O'Sullivan

A very useful article by Caitr=EDona N=ED Laoire, developing what is =
quickly
becoming a new branch of Irish Diaspora Studies...

P.O'S.


Journal of Rural Studies
Article in Press, Corrected Proof - Note to users

Copyright =A9 2007 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

The =91green green grass of home=92? Return migration to rural Ireland

Caitr=EDona N=ED Laoire

Corresponding Author Contact Information, a, E-mail The Corresponding =
Author

aDepartment of Geography, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland


Available online 13 March 2007.


There have been calls recently to challenge some of the orthodoxies of
counterurbanisation. This paper contributes to this by highlighting the
complexity of rural in-migration processes, through a focus on rural =
return
migration. There has been a significant increase in return migration to =
the
Republic of Ireland (ROI) since 1996. The paper is based on the life
narratives of some of the 1980s generation of emigrants who have =
recently
returned to live in Ireland. It focuses on those Irish return migrants =
who
spent a substantial part of their lives in the large urban centres of
Britain and the US, and are currently living in rural Ireland. Their
narratives of return are explored in terms of discourses of rurality, in
particular through notions of a rural idyll and belonging/not belonging. =
It
is argued that return migrants draw on classic counterurbanisation
discourses in their narratives of return, but that these are interwoven =
with
notions of family/kinship. Furthermore, the idyllisation of rural life =
is
complicated by aspects of the specificity of the position of the return
migrant. It is suggested that rural return migrants are positioned =
somewhere
between locals and incomers, reflecting the complexity of Irish rural
repopulation processes, and that the phenomenon of rural return =
complicates
accepted understandings of counterurbanisation.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Article,
New populations; shifting expectations: The changing experience
of Irish rural space and place
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Email Patrick O'Sullivan

Journal of Rural Studies
Article in Press, Corrected Proof - Note to users

Copyright C 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

New populations; shifting expectations: The changing experience of Irish
rural space and place

Marie Mahon

a, E-mail The Corresponding Author

aDepartment of Geography, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.

Available online 8 March 2007.


Abstract

This paper presents a summary account of the changing nature of places in
the urban fringe in Ireland. As such places are still largely perceived of
as rural in nature, this involves a consideration of what constitutes the
rural, itself the subject of ongoing debate. Using research conducted in
three urban fringe locations in the West of Ireland, the discussion explores
how such places are being conceptualised, through an analysis of the lay
discourses of a number of residents. These lay accounts of place,
particularly the meanings assigned to the rural and the urban, are examined
with a view to understanding how spaces and places, still broadly regarded
as rural, are being produced, and how both changing and conflicting
representations of the rural are altering the experiences of such places.

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Conceptualising rurality
3. The rural as social representation
4. The significance of place
5. 'Networks' of rurality
6. The changing nature of places in the urban fringe in Ireland
7. Study locations
8. Methodology
9. Rural and urban-respondents' conceptualisations
10. Contextualising rurality-the meaning of place
11. Change and conflict in defining the rural

11.1. Farming and agriculture
11.2. Increasing residential development
11.3. New service development
11.4. Local social interaction

12. Conclusion
Acknowledgements
References

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Article, Niamh Reilly,
Linking local and global feminist advocacy: Framing women's
rights as human rights in the Republic of Ireland
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Email Patrick O'Sullivan

Women's Studies International Forum
Volume 30, Issue 2, March-April 2007, Pages 114-133

Copyright C 2007 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Linking local and global feminist advocacy: Framing women's rights as human
rights in the Republic of Ireland
Niamh Reilly
a

aTransitional Justice Institute, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, BT48
7JL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom


Available online 9 March 2007.


Synopsis

This article argues that global-level feminist advocacy in the 1990s has had
a significant impact within feminist advocacy in the Republic of Ireland. An
important manifestation of this is the growing engagement of groups in
Ireland with women's human rights discourses in framing feminist claims in
the domestic arena and the emergence of related transnational solidarity
links. This article identifies six approaches to women's human rights
advocacy in Ireland: human rights facilitating collective action,
local-global solidarity and transformation; human rights as modes of (quasi)
legal accountability; human rights as a framework for social, economic and
gender justice; women's political participation as a human rights issue;
human rights as a challenge to gendered racism; and women's bodily integrity
as a human rights issue. The author argues that these developments reflect a
new, outwardly oriented departure within the Irish women's movement. In
addition to interviews with advocates and assessments of related activities,
the article is informed by the author's involvement in women's human rights
projects in Ireland and internationally.

Article Outline

Introduction
Methodological discussion

Questions and organizing themes

Overview of transnational women's human rights movement
Framing women's rights as human rights: The experience of women's
organizations and projects in Ireland
Six approaches to women's human rights advocacy in Ireland

Human rights: Facilitating collective action, local-global solidarity and
transformative politics
Human rights as modes of (quasi) legal accountability: UN agreements,
treaties and avenues of redress
Women's political participation as a human rights issue
Human rights as a framework for social, economic and gender justice
Human rights as a challenge to (gendered) racism
Women's bodily integrity as a human right: Violence against women and
reproductive and sexual health and rights

Conclusion
References

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Alison Younger
Subject: Re: Article, Niamh Reilly,
Linking local and global feminist advocacy: Framing women's
rights as human rights in the Republic of Ireland
In-Reply-To:
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Could draw attention to the fifth annual NEICN Irish Studies conference a=
t the Univeristy of Sunderland? Preliminary call for papers below:
=20
=20
The University of Sunderland=20
In Association with the North East Irish Culture Network
=20
Fifth Annual Irish Studies Conference
=20
=20
=20
9-11 November 2007
Ireland: At War and Peace
=20
=20
Following the success of its last four international conferences: Repre=
senting-Ireland: Past, Present and Future, [2003] and The Word, The Icon =
and The Ritual, [2004], Lands of Saints of Scholars, [2005], and Ireland=
: Renaissance, Revolution and Regeneration, (2006) the University of Sund=
erland, in association with NEICN, is soliciting papers for an interdisci=
plinary conference, which will run from 9-11 November 2007. The conferenc=
e will begin with a plenary lecture on Friday 9th November; there will be=
a book launch and wine reception in the evening and a ceilidh and confer=
ence banquet on Saturday 10th November.
=20
The conference organisers hope to represent a wide range of approaches =
to Irish culture from academics and non­-academics alike. Performance=
s, roundtables, collaborative projects, and other non­-traditional pr=
esentations are encouraged in addition to conference papers. We particula=
rly welcome proposals for panels. As with previous year=92s conference, =
we welcome submissions for panels and papers under the thematic headings =
of: Ireland - Renaissance, Revolution, Regeneration in the following area=
s: Literature, Performing Arts, History, Politics, Folklore and Mythology=
, Ireland in Theory, Gender and Ireland Anthropology, Sociology, Geograph=
y, Tourism, Art and Art History, Music, Dance, Media and Film Studies, Cu=
ltural Studies, and Studies of the Diaspora. North American and other int=
ernational scholars, practitioners in the arts, and postgraduate students=
are all encouraged to submit proposals to the conference organisers. We=
also welcome proposals for papers in
absentia for delegates who wish to participate but may find it difficult=
to attend the event.
=20
Previous conferences have resulted in the publication of a selection of=
essays, and we hope to continue this with essays from this year=92s conf=
erence.
=20
LENGTH =96 Papers should not exceed 2,500 =96 3,000 words/20 minutes=92=
delivery
=20
DEADLINES =96 Enquiries and submissions should be submitted by 30th Jun=
e, 2007 to the conference coordinators
Dr Alison O=92Malley-Younger =96 alison.younger[at]sunderland.ac.uk and P=
rofessor John Strachan =96 john.strachan[at]sunderland.ac.uk and copied to t=
he conference administrator, Ms Susan Cottam =96 susan.cottam[at]sunderland.=
ac.uk=20
.
CONFERENCE VENUE =96 The conference will take place at St Peter=92s Cam=
pus. Please see our websites at www.sunderland.ac.uk and www.neicn.co.uk=20
=20
=20

Patrick O'Sullivan wrote:
Email Patrick O'Sullivan=20


Women's Studies International Forum
Volume 30, Issue 2, March-April 2007, Pages 114-133

Copyright C 2007 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Linking local and global feminist advocacy: Framing women's rights as hum=
an
rights in the Republic of Ireland=20
Niamh Reilly
a

aTransitional Justice Institute, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, BT48
7JL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom


Available online 9 March 2007.


Synopsis

This article argues that global-level feminist advocacy in the 1990s has =
had
a significant impact within feminist advocacy in the Republic of Ireland.=
An
important manifestation of this is the growing engagement of groups in
Ireland with women's human rights discourses in framing feminist claims i=
n
the domestic arena and the emergence of related transnational solidarity
links. This article identifies six approaches to women's human rights
advocacy in Ireland: human rights facilitating collective action,
local-global solidarity and transformation; human rights as modes of (qua=
si)
legal accountability; human rights as a framework for social, economic an=
d
gender justice; women's political participation as a human rights issue;
human rights as a challenge to gendered racism; and women's bodily integr=
ity
as a human rights issue. The author argues that these developments reflec=
t a
new, outwardly oriented departure within the Irish women's movement. In
addition to interviews with advocates and assessments of related activiti=
es,
the article is informed by the author's involvement in women's human righ=
ts
projects in Ireland and internationally.

Article Outline

Introduction
Methodological discussion

Questions and organizing themes

Overview of transnational women's human rights movement
Framing women's rights as human rights: The experience of women's
organizations and projects in Ireland
Six approaches to women's human rights advocacy in Ireland

Human rights: Facilitating collective action, local-global solidarity and
transformative politics
Human rights as modes of (quasi) legal accountability: UN agreements,
treaties and avenues of redress
Women's political participation as a human rights issue
Human rights as a framework for social, economic and gender justice
Human rights as a challenge to (gendered) racism
Women's bodily integrity as a human right: Violence against women and
reproductive and sexual health and rights

Conclusion
References



Slan agus beannacht
=20
Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.
W. B. Yeats

Alison O'Malley-Younger [Dr]
Programme Leader: English and Drama/English and Creative Writing
Department of English
University of Sunderland
=20




=20
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less, sign =
up for your freeaccount today.

Sender: The Irish Diaspora Studies List
From: Patrick O'Sullivan
Subject: Book Review, Griffin on Barnard, _Making the Grand Figure_
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

H-NET BOOK REVIEW
Published by H-Albion[at]h-net.msu.edu (April 2007)

Toby Barnard. _Making the Grand Figure: Lives and Possessions in
Ireland, 1641-1770_. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004. xxii +
497 pp. Illustrations, maps, notes, index. $50.00 (cloth), ISBN
0-300-10309-3.

Reviewed for H-Albion by Patrick Griffin, University of Virginia

The "Baubles" of the Ascendancy

Toby Barnard, arguably the leading scholar of eighteenth-century
Ascendancy Ireland, has done it again. In his most recent book,
_Making the Grand Figure_, Barnard has produced the most in-depth
study we are likely to have of the possessions, diversions, and in
some case obsessions of the class that ruled Ireland during its
"golden age." _Making the Grand Figure_ explores in exhaustive and
extraordinary detail the ways in which Protestant elites adopted the
fashions of empire and the Continent, and what one historian has
called the "baubles of Britain" to fashion who they were.[1] This is
a labor of love that admirably stands alongside Barnard's recent _A
New Anatomy of Ireland_, that as its clever title suggests breaks
down Protestant Ireland's eighteenth century in anatomical fashion.
[2] While the earlier volume dealt with confessional identities and
politics, _Making the Grand Figure_ luxuriates in the niceties of
material culture. "This book," he states at the outset, "tackles
subjects usually relegated to the margins, if not ignored, in
histories of Ireland" (p. vii). The same, of course, could be said
for the Irish eighteenth century in general. It too clings to the
margins of Irish history, a period that on the surface appears far
less critical than the century that precedes it and the one that
follows. Although Barnard does not rescue the century, he does
accomplish what he sets out to do. After his comprehensive
treatment, no one can say any longer that the "baubles" of the
Ascendancy have been ignored. If anyone doubts that Protestant
Ireland, or at least its highest strata, participated in an Atlantic-
wide consumer revolution, Barnard has provided the definitive answer
to the doubters.

The book is lovingly produced. Yale University Press has published a
handsome volume, filled with wonderful illustrations that lend
Barnard's vivid prose further interest. These range from
reproductions of prints, tapestries, and advertisements of spurs for
cock fighting to photographs of manor houses and spoons. The book
focuses on the quirky, the alluring, and the quotidian. It jumps
from the social calendar of the lord lieutenant in Dublin to the
goods that members of the Ascendancy consumed, the fine houses they
built, the places they traveled, the pictures they collected, the
gardens their servants tended, the clothes they wore, and the type of
"society" they sought to foster in a place they regarded from time to
time as savage and marginal. In Barnard's eyes, they succeeded
admirably in creating a culture well informed by the latest of
European and English high culture. Theirs were the first ears, after
all, that heard Handel's _Messiah_ performed (in 1742).

The detail of the book astonishes, as does its research. And Barnard
has mastered the most intimate details of Ireland's ruling elite. In
_Making the Grand Figure_, we learn of diversions as various as the
hunt, breeding setters, the ins-and-outs of "the season" in Dublin,
taking the waters at Bath, and garden design. Uncovered are the
types of handkerchiefs elites fancied, the heraldic and expensive
funerals that marked the passing of one of their caste, the
architectural genealogy of the mansions they designed, and the
quality of the silver they imported. No stone of conspicuous
consumption goes unturned in this study. We discover, for example,
how wigs were manufactured, the manner in which men shaved their
heads before donning them, and how, in Ireland, wigs differed in
quality reflecting various stations. These were discerning
shoppers. As Barnard argues, "the differences in price were
reflected in the look of wigs. The knowing identified costly imports
and cut-price copies" (p. 275). Barbers tended to wigs, and only the
foolish failed to hang them on a stand after a day's work or an
evening's entertainment. _Making the Grand Figure_ also uncovers
what we would regard as unlikely contributors to this Ascendancy
culture of consumption. A "young gentlewoman" by the name of
Susannah Drury made a name for herself as an artist, gaining renown
for her views of the Giant's Causeway on the Antrim coast. In this
way, a small number of talented women "of gentle birth," as Barnard
puts is, were able to achieve some sense of independence in an
otherwise male-dominated world (pp. 164-165).

Barnard understands that a mania for self-fashioning premised on what
you did, what you wore, and how others perceived such activities
extended far beyond Dublin and the country estates scattered about
the kingdom. Provincials in the American colonies, of course,
indulged in similar behavior. Most conspicuously, planters in
Virginia were donning fineries, racing horses, buying all things
English, and building mansions that spoke to their status as the
natural rulers of the colony. Barnard is right to say that
"Habitation remained one of the readiest reckoners of worth, both
monetary and ethical" (p. 37). Yet, he believes that we should not
take the parallels between the two societies too far. "Building," he
notes, "carried some of the same resonances for settlers in north
America and Ireland. But aspirations, attitudes, and achievements in
Ireland more often resembled those among the prospering and
consciously respectable of Britain and continental Europe" (p. 37).
On one level, that of the types and grandeur of the buildings each
group constructed, he is spot on. Although Americans also aped the
styles ascendant in England, the great homes in the colonies
reflected metropolitan standards more dimly than those constructed in
Ireland. At the same time, American attempts were marked by less
flair and less confident originality. Nor were they as lavish as
some designed for Protestant Irishmen. But on another level, these
Irishmen were up to same things as their colonial cousins. Indeed,
as a number of scholars have recently argued, the meanings of
consumption--what Barnard might mean by "resonances"--cannot be
divorced from aspirations, attitudes, or achievements. For truth be
told, although they may have differed in particulars or incidentals,
the attitudes, aspirations, and achievements of the Ascendancy in
Ireland and planters in Virginia were one and the same. And therein
lies the looming question this volume begs but does not address.
Just as Virginia's gentry used goods to rule a society divided by
race and status, Ireland's, it would seem, did so to rule one divided
by confession and status. Types of goods, designs of homes, and
enthusiasms for particular pastimes reflected the peculiar nature of
provincial status of each society, as well as the distinctive
challenges to elite rule. Arguably, the Ormandes and the Connollys
were Ireland's Byrds and Carters. The Connollys may have built
grander dwellings than William Byrd's Westover. But the aims and
results of each differed little.

Any historian of Virginia, especially he or she that looks at
material culture, cannot ignore the often "Black majority" toiling to
make it all possible for elites. The same could be said for
Ireland. No doubt, detailing the ins-and-outs of Ascendancy culture
on its own terms can be a valuable exercise. But for this period, it
is difficult to escape the question "what of the other 75 percent of
the population"--the many who had little with which to consume and
the fewer who merely aspired to emulate those in their own kingdom.
How did consumption affect them, even if they could not participate?
How did the elite's desire to obtain goods sustain a hold over the
many? For a scholar as careful and as accomplished as Barnard, these
are, of course, tiring and predictable questions, but ones that, if
addressed, would have given the book a greater pay-off. Self-
fashioning, after all, is about power. The horse racing, the
interiors, the studied use of inflection represented more than
attempts to strike the grand figure. They were means of ruling and
by implication subjugation. As an American historian, Kathleen
Brown, argues, therein lies the meaning of the houses Virginia's
rulers built and the diversions they entertained. Forms, as she
finds among an anxious patriarchy in Virginia, follow function. We
also know, to go back to the American example, that goods could have
a democratizing influence, challenging elites but allowing new groups
of people to participate in the economy and in some cases in
politics. As T. H. Breen and Jack Crowley illustrate, goods have
many meanings that must be explored.[3] If anything of the sort
happened in Ireland, we cannot say. For these are not Barnard's
interests. No doubt, Barnard has amassed a veritable treasure trove
of detail for those interested in Protestant Ascendancy material
culture and diversion. Nonetheless, we are left with the question of
the larger meaning of consumption, and by implication, the book.

Near the end of the volume, Barnard notes that "forms of sociability
in Protestant Ireland could not be uncoupled from politics and
ideology" (p. 369). And at this point, the reader surmises, Barnard
is preparing to offer his take on what all this detail means for the
eighteenth century, to answer the question pregnant in his analysis.
But he does not. Instead, he observes how Charles Lucas, a hero of
Dublin's Protestant tradesmen and middle-class Protestant
nationalists, did or did not participate in the world Barnard
recreates. Fair enough. But that he does not look much further than
Lucas says a great deal of this book's telling silences. To his
credit, from time to time, Barnard concedes that the poorer sort or
the vast majority of Catholics could not participate in the world he
details. "The brilliance of the few coexisted with, and maybe
thrived on, endemic underdevelopment, poverty and recurring
famine" (p. xix). One could argue that simply stating this truth
amounts to an opportunity lost for a volume that details the symbols
and practices of power. If, as Barnard argues, Catholics did not
have the means to take part in the world of consumption, their
absence certainly could have informed the way the study is framed or
the conclusions it draws, adding greater urgency to studying what is
still the forgotten century of Irish history.

On the one hand, we cannot ask Bernard to write the book he has not
envisioned. To do so would be unfair. On the other, the silences
implicit in _Making the Grand Figure_, it must be acknowledged, do
not peculiarly define the work of Barnard. They limit the ways in
which many historians of Ireland's "golden age" approach the century,
explaining--perhaps--why this period remains under-studied and
interesting details, such as the diversions of the ruling elite, have
been up to this point ignored.

Notes

[1]. T. H. Breen, "'Baubles of Britain': The American and Consumer
Revolutions of the Eighteenth Century," _Past and Present_ 119
(1988): 73-104.

[2]. _A New Anatomy of Ireland: The Irish Protestants, 1649-1770_
(New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004). See Alan Ford, "Review of
Toby Barnard, _A New Anatomy of Ireland: the Irish Protestants,
1649-1770_," H-Albion, H-Net Reviews, January, 2005, http://www.h-
net.org/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=109131115131826.

[3]. Kathleen Brown, _Good Wives, Nasty Wenches, and Anxious
Patriarchs: Gender, Race, and Power in Colonial Virginia_ (Chapel
Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996); T. H. Breen, _The
Marketplace of Revolution: How Consumer Politics Shaped American
Independence_ (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005); and John
Crowley, _The Invention of Comfort: Sensibility and Design in Early
Modern Britain and Early America_ (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins
University Press, 2003).



Copyright (c) 2007 by H-Net, all rights reserved. H-Net permits
the redistribution and reprinting of this work for nonprofit,
educational purposes, with full and accurate attribution to the
author, web location, date of publication, originating list,
and
H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online. For other uses
contact the Reviews editorial staff: hbooks[at]mail.h-net.msu.edu.