Nick Maxwell By Terence Dooley First established under the 1881 Land Act, the Irish Land Commission began as a regulator of fair rents but soon evolved into the great facilitator of land transfer. However, over-emphasis on these aspects of its work can sometimes camouflage its equal significance as the main instigator and architect of rural reform. There … Read more
A chara,—Upon reading Shaun McCann’s article, ‘A precious bodily fluid—blood, the Irish connection’ (HI 30.5, Sept./Oct. 2022), I was astonished that there was not one single mention of menstrual blood. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised, as the first sentence of the article reads, ‘Blood is indeed a precious fluid that has intrigued man for … Read more
A chara,—I refer to an item in September’s ON THIS DAY in the last issue (HI 30.5, Sept./Oct. 2022) on p. 7 and referenced 20/1922. The item erroneously states that four people (it uses the term ‘Irregulars’ for Republican forces, a pejorative term coined by pro-Treaty propagandists) were summarily executed on Ben Bulben, Co. Sligo. … Read more
Sir,—When my eyes spotted the title ‘Who speaks for Ulster, 1913, 2022?’, I rapidly flipped through the pages of the latest issue (HI 30.5, Sept./Oct. 2022), expecting to find some reference to the writings of Belfast poet John Hewitt. Author M.C. Rast chronicles critical aspects of this momentous period of Irish history since 1913, but … Read more
Sir,—It is only with reluctance that one criticises the product of an optimistic perspective. The positive and optimistic bring hope, and with hope comes enthusiasm, leading to progress. However, the piece on economic and social progress for the first 100 years of independent Ireland, ‘A people’s progress’ (HI 30.3, May/June 2022, Platform) by Mark Henry, … Read more