Sir,—I take exception to the gratuitously insulting cartoon by ‘doll’ on page nine of the autumn 1996 issue of History Ireland. The cartoon depicts a figure pushing over a pedestal on which is inscribed ‘Na Bráithre Críostaí Irish Christian Brothers, 1820-’. The figure is saying ‘Corporal punishment was bad enough, but Gaelic corporal punishment…’
Now, as a person with a well developed sense of humour I always enjoy a good cartoon, whether it be a political one or simply one with a funny punchline. I am well aware that much has also been written about the history of cartoons and posters in propaganda over the centuries.
The crude cartoon by the anonymous ‘doll’ falls into none of the above categories. It is simply a tired clichéd example of poor taste aimed at discrediting the tremendous work done by the Irish Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers since their foundation by Edmund Ignatius Rice. The historical fact is that corporal punishment was the accepted norm in education throughout the nineteenth and well into the twentieth centuries, not only in Ireland, but across the world. Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of history or literature would be well aware from the autobiographical writings of, say, Trollope, Joyce, Churchill, William Morris, etc., that corporal punishment was a fact of life in their school lives. It is a tired old canard to imply that the Irish Christian Brothers invented corporal punishment or were the sole perpetrators of same in the educational system. Teachers, religious and lay, implemented policies laid down by others and with the implied backing of parents and guardians. Like the rest of the population I welcomed the abolition of corporal punishment when more enlightened times arrived in the 1960s and beyond.
‘doll’s’ non-sequitur about ‘Gaelic corporal punishment’ also calls for a retort. The fact is that the Irish Christian Brothers are owed a tremendous debt of gratitude for their unwavering commitment to the promotion of the Gaeilge over the decades. As a former pupil I only now appreciate their dedication and love for the language. I recall the many extra (unpaid) hours that the Brothers gave in that regard, whether through preparation for Feiseanna, accompanying groups of boys to the Gaeltachtaí or on Ógra Éireann outings. Theirs was a dedication that was dealt with in a modest and unselfish manner. Quite apart from the Brothers’ contribution to the development of the Irish language their work and commitment to education generally ensured that many thousands of boys benefited from a superb education at primary and secondary level that is acknowledged to have provided the backbone for the Irish economy since the foundation of the State.
In the same issue of History Ireland that included an excellent article by Dáire Keogh to mark the recent beatification of Edmund Rice, it was very regrettable to have to endure the jarring and wholly unfunny ‘doll’ cartoon, which was obviously designed to denigrate the memory of the founder of the Irish Christian Brothers and his followers.
I thoroughly enjoy absorbing the contents of the very informative History Ireland. However, part of that enjoyment is undoubtedly due to my confidence in the historical accuracy of the material researched and published each quarter. Long may it so remain.
PATRICK JUDGE
14 Grangewood,
Rochestown Avenue,
Dún Laoghaire,
County Dublin.
___________________
Thomas Ryan RHA, of Ashbourne, County Meath, raised similar objections and in addition wondered if Dáire Keogh, the author of the ‘excellent’[his word] article on Edmund Rice, was consulted about the cartoon. The answer is, no—the cartoon was commissioned by the editors and is solely their responsibility. Irony can be a double-edged sword. ‘doll’, in fact, concurs fully with the sentiments of Messrs Judge and Ryan and is surprised that they have grabbed the wrong end of the stick (sic).