"Día dhuit!" (Hello) When asked, Mr. O’Conor said that the most important aspects of his identity are, storytelling, music, and Irish language (Gaeilge). He says:
“I have recently reconnected to the Irish language and it has been a very meaningful thing for me. Our language was banned and violently punished by Vikings, Normans, and the British and its preservation has been a huge part of our resistance to colonialism. I always felt bad that I didn’t speak it well but now have been doing a lesson (on Duolingo) every day for a year (over 365 day streak!). It’s made me feel more connected with my heritage and culture.”
A note on colonialism: I’ve written to you previously about British, Viking, and Anglo Norman occupation in Ireland. These occupations resulted in architecture such as that at Tintern Abbey, which we saw previously, but they also caused the suppression of Irish Language, as Mr. O’Conor expresses above, but also the suppression of culture and religion (such as pagan and celtic identity) and forced labor and crop exportation which contributed to the Great Famine, or Potato Famine which we touched on when discussing food in Ireland.
Can you think of any similar situations in the United States or another country? Can your parents?
When asking whether Irish folklore and history are important to Mr. O’Conor, he replied, “Very much so. Our history and culture was preserved through oral storytelling and folklore. We as a nation have deep connections to the land as agriculture is our main and most traditional industry.”
