‘The Wild Geese’ is the romantic term traditionally applied to the men who left Ireland to join the armies of European countries. Beginning in the sixteenth century, large numbers of Irishmen enlisted in the armies of Spain, France, Austria and Russia. Many soldiers hoped eventually to return to Ireland and throw off foreign rule. This … Read more
At the grave risk of appearing a pedant (God forbid!), may Irespectfully suggest that the reference to Raymond le Gros in yourMay/June 2008 issue (‘On this day’, 1 May 1170, p. 8) meritscorrection? Le Gros was not a Fitzgerald, although he may perhaps beconsidered to have been a Geraldine (the question is rather semantic).The Geraldine … Read more
Sir,—Thank you very much for your article on the Concern filmcollection in the last issue (Film Eye, pp 46–7), which has recentlycome under the stewardship of the Irish Film Archive. I would like toclarify some points, which I feel are of importance when discussingthis particular collection. Writer Tom Lodge states that the films inthe Concern … Read more
In his article ‘Billy’s Boys’ in the last issue, it is a pity thatBrian Lacy does not answer the question posed in the introduction, thatis, whether William III was in fact homosexual. In researching my bookOrangeism—the making of a tradition (1999) I looked closely into thisquestion and went through as much material on William as … Read more
Sir, —When assessing Oliver Cromwell’s legacy in Ireland, we should notoverlook the religious congregations he supported in Dublin during theCommonwealth. The Protestant Dissenter congregations at Wood Street andNew Row were a source of republican ideas and pro-reform politics inthe city from their foundation through to the establishment of theUnited Irishmen in the late eighteenth century. … Read more