Did the six-day Insurrection at Easter in 1916 plunge a previously unbloodied Ireland into a century of war and violence? I ask that question, because, unless I am mistaken, the “distinguished historian” Ruth Dudley Edwards maintains that it did.
You might take a pleasant break from this narrative by watching the Howth Regatta 1942 on YOUTUBE, a motion-picture reel in colour which has had a musical score dubbed. No more peaceful and joyous a sight might be seen even though an uncle of mine, serving with the British Army in Singapore in the Eastern Seas had perished a few months before Ireland was out of that war and out of the fashion.
I can recall my tenth birthday in December 1951 because of a sensational armed bank robbery in Dublin where such things just didn’t happen. Two or three youths with a starting pistol held up a bank, were promptly arrested and tried and the court proceedings filled many newspaper columns. I left Dublin in November 1964 and I don’t recall reading or hearing of a bank hold-up in the whole of Ireland in the intervening thirteen years. Indeed I didn’t hear of another armed bank robbery in Ireland until late 1969 at the earliest, after which they became so common they got few headlines.
Terry Wogan recalled working in a Dublin Bank Branch, fetching sufficient funds in a holdall, from its HQ to buy a couple of houses, stopping for a coffee in Bewleys with the bag at his feet and not the least care in the world. And Albert Reynolds recalled his days running dance halls when he would drive many miles with thousands of pounds in the boot of his car and leaving it unlocked overnight outside his house.
In 1960 Ireland went into shock when, for the first time since the IRA’s “Dump Arms” order in May 1923 members of the Irish Defence Forces fell to hostile fire. The funeral through Dublin attracted huge crowds and the Dead March in Saul echoing in O’Connell Street threatened to tear out my heart-strings, for I had never heard it before. A friend, a Ships Officer with Irish Shipping merely shrugged, saying soldiers and sailors alike faced occupational hazards. The soldiers had died in the Congo on a United Nations Peace-Keeping mission and Ireland was not at war.
During the years between 1923 and 1960 and between 1960 and 2016 Britain has been in numerous wars, some labelled Emergencies to save tea-planters, tin-mining and other capitalist concerns high insurance premiums and she has dropped high explosive and incendiary bombs, lethal gas and chemical weapons on undefended and poorly defended targets and machine-gunned civilians with gay abandon in many places.She has used her own conscript soldiers as guinea pigs and exposed them to radiation close to “Ground Zero” when testing atomic bombs. She has promoted wars by proxy and armed cruel, repressive and barbarous regimes, even pitting them against each other.
The Irish State whose genesis she condemns and whose triumphs she would deny is perhaps the least militaristic state in the world, Monaco not excepted,
Ms Dudley Edwards advocates an uncritical attitude to British state and state- sponsored violence and seems comfortable with those responsible for it.
Ms. Ruth Dudley Edwards – A ‘Lady’ who lists amongst her dear friends – Tout – one Seán O’Callaghan.
“Ms. Ruth Dudley Edwards – A ‘Lady’ who lists amongst her dear friends – Tout – one Seán O’Callaghan”
You know Sean O’Callaghan really was full of sh*t when he is often quoted by the likes of Ruth Dudley Edwards and nutty Willie Frazer. Apparently he was tied up and robbed after leaving a gay bar with a man. The man was meant to play “gay bondage” with him in his flat but instead tied him up and robbed him.
Ryan
You say
“Studying History (or being a Historian) is all about studying and revealing the TRUTH about the past to the best of our ability,”
And in the same breath almost you present unsubstantiated allegations (and by the way utterly irrelevant to the sublect in hand) about Sean O’Callaghan as though they were facts, even though the court convicted the robbers and accepted O’Callaghan’s version.
Your commitment to the truth smacks of (to use your own words),
only recording what you like and twisting things to suit your own agenda.
Doesn’t that alone say enough about this women’s moral compass ?
Donal, she’s no historian, never mind a ‘ distinguished ‘ one. Generally, most people are gullible by nature, so it is necessary to keep prodding and awakening “the desire not to be deceived “. This means we should count among our permanent responsibilities – Vigilance, Critical examination, and Searching Inquiry., ( such as you continue to do ).
There is an Irish expression for such as she and I think the term is fully expressive. “Gobshite”
Probably the worst pro brit columnist in Ireland today
I see it is still forbidden to criticise the sacred cows of the Rising in any way.
Instead of being met with reasoned argument it will bring forth a litany of abuse directed at the author of the criticism.
Unless ‘gobshite’ is what now passes for argument around here.
Indeed,Gio.What happened to old fashioned tolerance? The old sentence “I disagree with what you say, but I defend your right to say it” comes to mind.In this brave new Ireland which many of our posters wish to inhabit,will dissenting voices such as R D E be tolerated?
Argie
Agreed.
The idea that Ireland would be united by now or closer to it at least had the Rising never happened is well rehearsed and no-one can say for sure it is not feasible.
The only reason it causes such anger and personal abuse to be aimed at anyone suggesting such a thing, is that the justness of the Rising has come to be an article of faith and the men and women involved are now given legendary status.
They must not be criticised. Ever!
RDE is entitled to her views the same as the rest of us.
She is entitled to be a Unionist (though I don’t think she is actually) if that is what she thinks would be the best way forward and should not have personal abuse heaped on her for holding an entirely legitimate political viewpoint.
Ruth Dudley Edwards, where do I start? lol Is she a real Historian? Now when I say “real Historian” I’m not talking about someone who went to a University and studied, anyone can do that. I’m talking about is Ruth Dudley Edwards recording the FACTS about History or is she only recording what she likes or twisting things to suit her own agenda? I don’t think we need a person with an IQ of 165 to work that one out. Studying History (or being a Historian) is all about studying and revealing the TRUTH about the past to the best of our ability, that’s REAL History.
I first came across Ruth Dudley Edwards name when I was reading a few books. She was mentioned in Susan McKay’s “Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People”. McKay, a Protestant from Derry, described one of RDE’s books “The Faithful Tribe” as “sentimental and blinkered”.
Ruth has come out with some stupid sentences in her time, the best has got to be that “the Orange Order are Pro-Protestant, not Anti-Catholic”. Now that sounds like a repeat of what the Orange Order itself would say or from a Unionist politician but Ruth, being a Historian (I use that term loosely), really should know better. The Orange Orders History and Present is there for all to see, they are extremely anti-Catholic, even to the point of mass sectarian murders both historically and more recently of Catholics simply due to their religion. That’s without mentioning the deliberately contentious and provocative parades. There’s a reason why many UVF/UDA members were (and are) in the Orange Order. Ruth knows these facts better than most but turns a blind eye or minimizes what really went on, that gives an insight into her thinking. What is her thinking? Well Ruth comes across to me as someone who is a wannabe English person, hence the Pro- English stance. Its a kind of cultural cringe which is often seen in Scotland but to a lesser extent Ireland and Wales, where some Scottish/Irish/Welsh people hate their own identity and want to be English. I’m certain the same mentality is rampant amongst Unionist politicians and maybe Unionists in general. Its the Psychological result of Colonialism, which is hard for some to shake off.
Have I ever read any of RDE’s books in full? I have read prominent parts of a few of her books online but I honestly don’t have the time for poor Ruth and her nonsense, I really don’t. I have read reviews of her books too. I’ve mostly read Ruth’s articles, some of which make Nelson McCausland’s columns look sane and reasonable. I have spoke to Ruth through twitter a few times but I really do think my time (not to mention money) would be better spent reading REAL history, not books from some Orange Order and British Imperialist cheerleader.
“‘No outsider has travelled into the heart of Orangeism with a mind so open and ears so attentive as Ruth Dudley Edwards…In the course of her quite amazing journey, this Dublin middle-class academic of Catholic background, has absorbed and revelled in the culture of what she would call true Orangeism. With a combination of vivid contemporary journalism and deep historical scholarship, she has managed to portray Orangeism’s beating heart – through its turbulent and bloody history and its monumental afternoon teas’
KEVIN MYERS ‘Sunday Telegraph’
‘The depth of [Dudley Edwards] learning and the breadth of her sympathy, make this a compelling book, the product of genuine free thinking and spare, fine writing. Few books published this year will have the charm, learning, wisdom and humanity of ‘The Faithful Tribe’
MICHAEL GROVE ‘The Times’
‘Ruth Dudley Edwards’ portrait of the loyal institutions – the Orange Order, Apprentice Boys and Royal Black Preceptory – is engrossing and illuminating…her account should convince the open-minded that they have far greater virtues and a stronger case than is normally recognised.’
STEPHEN HOWE ‘New Statesman’
‘An important and timely book. It should be required reading for those who pontificate on Drumcree. It will probably be assailed on both sides, which in Northern Ireland amounts to something of a critical success’
MAURICE HAYES ‘Irish Independent’
‘Dr Edwards has ensured that even if readers don’t agree with the Orangemen’s stand, at least they may better understand it’
PETER TAYLOR
‘Dudley Edwards has got closer to the Orange Order than any outsider’
OBSERVER
Just a few other reviews of RDE book for you Ryan.
You should try reading it. Take a break from Susan McKays for a change.
I met RDE early this year when we spoke on opposita sides of a debate on whether British government was guilty of genocide in relation to the Great Hunger. (I was very much subordinate to Tim Pat Coogan, while Professor Liam Kennedy and RDE were co-equals) Despite being initially ill-disposed I found her and Liam likeable and charming. It amazes me that an apparently fundamentally decent person like Ruth can hold such views and write such garbage. There is much truth and wisdomin the old north if England saying, “There’s nowt as queer (in its old sense of strange) as folk!”.
“”A distinguished historian”.
Hmm..
I have been described as a historian by quite a number of distinguished friends.
Most are gone now and I mean gone like in dead.
Please help me here.
How did RDE earn the title “distinguished historian”.?
Who bestowed this honor a university or her Monarch or was it our t Uactharain or Taoiseach?
As a historian I need to know the facts.
h
Solicitors acting for RDE described her as a Distinguished Historian in 2006 when they were
threatening the small circulation quarterly “Church and State- An Irish History Magazine” witha writ for libel after they reported that she denied working as a British agent.
On her behalf they asked them to sign an apology and a retraction dictated by them.
They got no satisfaction.
Michael Gove, as a TIMES columnist described the 1916 Insurgents as “a squalid gang who betrayed Ireland.” And he saluted Conor Cruise O’Brien on the latter’s
90th Birthday as “the greatest living Irishman.”
Gove and his cabinet colleagues proved not to be the most altruistic public servants in Britain’s history, nor the most loyal to their colleagues.