Irishness as Affirmative Action?
We are approaching St. Patrick’s Day; Martin will attend the White House, as usual. It is appropriate to reflect on the contemporary significance of Irishness. But not the usual: “what does it mean to be Irish?”. No. Instead, let us ask: “who profits from Irishness?” — an unusual question, yes, but perhaps more fruitful.
It is said that we are in the midst of an Irish cultural renaissance — see here, here, and, most noxiously, here for examples. Whether one looks to music (Fontaines, Kneecap, and so on) or film (Paul Mescal, Cillian Murphy, Jessie Buckley, etc.,), Irish faces abound to a degree that is disproportionate. This is despite the fact that the culture of what passes for the Republic, is mediocre and largely attune to the fashions of other Anglophone nations.
There is an industry of Irishness, and as with any industry, there are profiteers. When it comes to whoring out Ireland, our national broadcaster, the private “alternatives” such as Virgin Media, as well as the broadsheets, are addicted to the spoils. The abovementioned celebrities are fixtures on vestigial programmes such as the ‘Late, Late Show’. Inevitably, their appearance features routine paddwhackery — “so, what don’t the yanks get about [insert minute, irrelevant Irish characteristic that no-one but the unimaginative of the midlands cares about]”. To which they happily comply — good gweilos that they are.
Donny O’Sullivan — whose very physical appearance is an offense to our global reputation — is a name perhaps unknown to our readership. A CNN hack of Kerry stock, poor Donny found himself in the less than fortuitous position of being in proximity to the Capitol on January 6th. Speaking on the ‘Late, Late’, our Donny spoke of his sole comfort being a crate of Tayto Cheese & Onion — and who was responsible for his provisions, but MAMMY.
The discerning among the readership, those accustomed to thinking holistically, may have discerned the intimate interconnection between fear, identity as commodity, saturated fats (putatively central to our national character), the spectre of the IRISH MAMMY. Our Donny, longs for the warm embrace of the antenatal; the security of the womb. Perfect fodder for Freud; if the Hannibal of Vienna were still with us, he’d amend his famous adage about the Irish. A most primeval, yet pertinent fetish. I’m not saying that Donny wants to sleep with his mother, but…
Allow me to retreat from the granular. In big picture terms, what I inveterately oppose is the transmutation of the lingering corpse of this nation - but not dead yet! - into a de facto affirmative action programme, whereby Irishness at the global stage receives presumptive approval. The outcome being that the worst mediocrities are given a national platform. Equally, it is imperative to reject those that would reduce our nation to commodity, quirk, idiosyncrasy, or some other inanity — said are the currency of affirmative action Irishry.
The concomitant process of profit and chungus-Irishness-patronage erode whatever of robustness and seriousness partakes vitally today of the Irish tradition. Ireland has produced a variety of types; there are those who are sardonic and ironic like Nolan & Joyce, whereas others are zealous militants of South’s and Pearse’s shade — neither type, however mutually at odds, are permitted by the affirmative action industry of official Ireland. The affirmative action industry opts for those who will allow themselves to be humiliated; those willing to play the part in exchange for recognition by the regime.
A note on why media organs perpetuate this system. It is a structural necessity. For they operate, primarily and almost exclusively, on level of our national justification — they must tether the viewer via nostalgic Irish-isms (“don’t you remember Guinness, Tayto, and the Craic!? Ah sure, the yanks don’t have that”). But do no confuse their conception of nationhood with ours. For them it is a pragmatic object to keep one tethered to Ireland, albeit in the most rudimentary and base way. From them, there is no prospect of national resurrection — as evinced by the predominance of Americana in their programming. Not to mention their inherently passé relation with digital media; the latter being the locus of Irish nationalists.
If they got their way, Ireland would be reduced to something unworthy of conservation. Thankfully, the better among our people either ignore or actively reject official Ireland’s paddywackery project. Left and right unite inasmuch as they intuitively disdain it. Serious men died for a serious purpose: the liberation of our land from Albion’s yoke. Let us not deface it with 21st century stage-Irish slop.