Oxford professor on the Irish

**paul_oshea** · 21/11/2006, 4:33 PM

from the sunday independent www.unison.ie
Liam Carroll

( he is right about bono and geldof though )

A RESPECTED Oxford historian has launched a vitriolic attack on Irish 'sacred cows' such as rock star Bono, the TV personality Terry Wogan and the Irish multimillionaires who are buying up London.

But his strongest criticism is reserved for former Blackrock College student Bob Geldof, whom he describes as "a mouthy sloven".

"England has undergone the reverse cultural colonisation of the erstwhile oppressed. As fluent talkers, the Irish have colonised entire areas of British television, with the benignly unctuous Terry Wogan succeeded by the vulgarly queer Graham Norton, whose sexually obsessive innuendo even managed to fall below the (very) low standards of British television comedy," says Michael Burleigh in his new book Sacred Causes.

The book, published by Cecelia Ahern's publishers, goes on: "However, the decline of English culture is at least matched by what has happened across the Irish Sea, which despite the lingering flutey-voiced sentimentality has become a vulgarised version of Essex."

Burleigh, an eminent historian and writer, deals with the role of religion and politics from "European dictators to al-Qaeda" and, in one engagingly politically incorrect chapter, he has a lengthy swipe at Ireland and the Irish.

He belittles the "minor poets" who have won the Nobel Prize for literature and adds: "Various provincial cliques and coteries, whether eccentrically Anglo-Irish, or just plain Irish, are inflated out of all proportion to their actual significance by their admiring fellows in the metropolitan British media".

But it is for such sacred cows as 'Sir' Bob Geldof and Bono that he reserves his most strident ire.

"Any cook or pop star can become a celebrity seer nowadays in a culture where other forms of authority have withered. Superannuated rock musicians have boarded this bandwagon, with saint-cum-sir Bob Geldof in the van of vulgarly formulated attempts to strong-arm governments seeking the youth vote into giving away more money that by and large finds its way into the Swiss bank accounts of African kleptocrats.

"It is startling to watch British politicians lapping up abuse from this mouthy sloven, until one notes that knowledge of pop music is nowadays a crucial part of obtaining high office.

"Ireland's professional moralists are represented, at most disasters and 'tragedies' by Irish television news reporters, again omnipresent on British TV, with a nice line in emoting about the world's starving, a sight that makes many of the cooler disposition long for the old days of stiff upper lip."

Wallowing in victimhood is "an essential element in the Irish problem" he says and it provides emotional and moral justification for "bullying, intimidating and killing" those who don't subscribe to their point of view.

"The Celtic warriors are as risible as Islamist militants," he says, going on to give the opinion that Cardinal Tomas O'Fiaich "colluded" in giving hunger striker Bobby Sands "a Christological air".

The scholar and author also turns his attention to the new mega-rich class of Irish businessmen who have invaded the British property market buying up landmark buildings in the heart of London.

"Some of Ireland's most prominent businessmen have a, doubtless ill-deserved, reputation for ruthlesness. Fans regard such figures as genially piratical; others think they are greedy and mean-spirited, a description that might also apply to large swathes of the Irish in the English building trades, although competently reliable young Poles are displacing this horde of bodgers and shysters."

While acknowledging that Ireland has now become "much richer" than neighbouring Britain, Burliegh has put this down to "its affluent diaspora and the European Union" while Northern Ireland "is kept afloat by an inflated public sector providing outdoor relief to its middle class".

Burleigh, taught at Oxford, the London School of Economics and Cardiff Universities as well as a number of important educational institutions in the United States.

**strangeirish** · 21/11/2006, 4:49 PM

The poor man appears to be afflicted with the 'I'm important, hear me speak' syndrome.

**dahamsta** · 21/11/2006, 7:31 PM

You can contact Michael via his agent here. If you do, please be respectful.

I couldn't argue with him on some points, but he's still being a stereotyping - and, ironically, stereotypical - muppet.

I presume I don't need to point out that this thread is indirectly marketing him. Which is usually what people like him want. It's their stock-in-trade.

adam

**Paddyfield** · 21/11/2006, 9:33 PM

Originally Posted by strangeirish

The poor man appears to be afflicted with the 'I'm important, hear me speak' syndrome.

Roddycollinsitis?

**paul_oshea** · 22/11/2006, 9:18 AM

its amazing to see that the ( some ) English are still afraid of any Irish person who can articulate themselves.

**bennocelt** · 22/11/2006, 9:25 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

its amazing to see that the ( some ) English are still afraid of any Irish person who can articulate themselves.

yeah agree, he has a massive chip on his shoulder

**Lionel Ritchie** · 22/11/2006, 9:36 AM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

You can contact Michael via his agent here. If you do, please be respectful.

I couldn't argue with him on some points, but he's still being a stereotyping - and, ironically, stereotypical - muppet.

I presume I don't need to point out that this thread is indirectly marketing him. Which is usually what people like him want. It's their stock-in-trade.

adam

I'm inclined to agree. There is substance to some of his arguments but his logic is cloudy and his conclusions are a bit childish.
Probably needs to thin out the Enoch Powell and Rudyard Kipling content from his reading material too. It's blocking him right up.

**cheifo** · 22/11/2006, 2:09 PM

I would like to read his views on his own country and other peoples before I puts his views on the Irish into context.Whats annoying though is that he is quoting examples of the bits of Irish society that support his prejudices rather than taking into account the broad spectrum of opinions that exist here.I hope if anyone questions him they go about it with some intelligence and dont play to his stereotype.I suppose when you think about it he is David McWilliams with added vitriol.

**strangeirish** · 22/11/2006, 2:41 PM

Again, it's just another self-absorbed piece. Who wants to listen to anyone that taught at Oxford anyway? I mean seriously, what's their claim to fame, but a dictionary!

**dahamsta** · 22/11/2006, 3:14 PM

Originally Posted by strangeirish

Again, it's just another self-absorbed piece. Who wants to listen to anyone that taught at Oxford anyway? I mean seriously, what's their claim to fame, but a dictionary!

Tim Berners-Lee is one claim to fame anyway. Inventor of the World Wide Web and the reason you were able to post that on Foot.ie!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers...Notable_alumni
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._Oxford_people

**strangeirish** · 22/11/2006, 3:22 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

Tim Berners-Lee is one claim to fame anyway. Inventor of the World Wide Web and the reason you were able to post that on Foot.ie!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers...Notable_alumni
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._Oxford_people

And there I was thinking it was Al Gore!

**paul_oshea** · 23/11/2006, 11:00 AM

hmmm it was going to happen whether berners-lee invented it or not me thinks!!! There were many versions going about at that stage.

**Noelys Guitar** · 23/11/2006, 11:12 AM

Quite a few British profs with such views of the Irish "lecturing" in North American universities. How the British public never flinched in the face of the IRA onslaught etc etc. The fair-minded British trying to seperate the natives. 1970's stuff from the mail or express. As someone has already mentioned I would like to have his views on other races, groups of people.

**Gareth** · 25/11/2006, 9:59 AM

Whats wrong with Irish businessmen buying up London? He likes Poles though. Probably cos he has one stuck up his arse.

**sonofstan** · 25/11/2006, 11:14 AM

I think i agree with most of what he says; note that he thinks British culture is just as debased - part of the problem with us, and something he's having fun with, is our obsession with taking offence. I think Bono and Sir Bob are cretinous, talentless self- publicists, i think Michael O'Leary is a humourless Bully, the sort of Pr!ck who would be more at home flicking towels in the changing rooms in Clongowes, and I think the tiger economy has been responsible for a woeful self- centredness and arrogance and a consequent debasement of public discourse.

Thing is; I'm perfectly comfortable with being Irish despite this. I don't think a Brit attacking Bobono and the like has anything to do with me or my Irishness, just as I don't think any sensible Englishman would take an attack on Sting or Mick Jagger or Richard Branson or the Royal Family personally. There are absurd public figures and institutions in every country; we have to stop feeling responsible for everything Irish; Graham Norton is not your fault.

**paul_oshea** · 25/11/2006, 1:22 PM

very good point sonofsatan, i think its in-grained in the irish psyche though, you can bitch and backstab your brother, but how dare your neighbour.....suppose its to do with the old supression we endured.....