LJ Idol - Topic 13 - Irish Revisionist History, Holidays

[aggienaut]

   One of the LJ Idol topics this week is "Irish Revisionist History." I'm sure most (all) of you have dismissed this out of hand as ridiculous. I, of course, was all about it. But then I decided I don't actually feel like writing about it, but here's what it is:

Perhaps revisionism is more easily identified where one historical interpretation has very high political/moral stakes attached to it. We all know what "Revisionism" means in relation to the history of World War II and the Holocaust. In Irish history, revisionism began by challenging the "Irish-Ireland" tradition of history, which claimed the Irish people are a unified Celtic nation oppressed throughout their history by English/British imperialism. Revisionists questioned, among other things, the mythological scope of Irish suffering, and employed statistical methods to analyze the 1845-51 famine. They were deeply criticized by historians and politicians for this, accused of sucking the blood and heart out of Irish history and stealing the Irish story from Ireland's children. More recently, though, historians have begun using revisionist methods to verify that, in fact, Irish suffering during the famine was just about as extreme as traditionally held. The April 1996 issue of The Journal of British Studies contains several articles on trends in British and Irish revisionism. - Source

   So there you go. Irish history, revisioned, and unrevisioned. Turns out we did suffer Just That Much. And, personally, I still haven't forgiven Cromwell and throw mud at his memory every chance I get.

Topic 2: Holidays
   As sort of a piece of performance art blogging, I bring you the entire (comments included) wildly unofficial totally unindorsed nothing-to-do-with-lj-idol greenroom-like Holiday Party post I made. There was glögg, there was some kind of delicious looking Australian cake, there was superhappytime never showing up despite a young lady waiting for him under the mistletoe. There was pin-the-wreath on clauderainsrm. There apparently was also a major major scandalsplosion regarding it. I'd just like to reiterate for the record that I had no intention to hijack the Green Room (tm), and was using greenroom in strictly a non-proper-noun sense.


   And now, I'm off to Nor Cal! ::jumps in sleigh::

Comments

[tigrkittn.livejournal.com]

there was superhappytime never showing up despite a young lady waiting for him under the mistletoe.

Silly superhappytime!! I did my best to keep the young lady in question distracted in his absence. It was the least I could do... ;)

[boxsofrain.livejournal.com]

That lady must be pretty pathetic!

[beeker121.livejournal.com]

Travel safe. Sorry I missed your party last night.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

I wish I had more parties to go to - it is lonely here since everyone moves away after the university.

Oh, the drama. Lame.

Та девочка фермы настолько озлоблена.

[aumonae.livejournal.com]

The Irish have largely been f**ked over by everyone that tried to take her over. I watched the movie about the father that fought for his children after the state took them away.... things that should never have happened but did because the Irish are thought to be stupid.

I have Irish roots on my mothers side and it has always pissed me off that things like that happened... and to some degree still do to this day.

[tigrkittn.livejournal.com]

Bah, hardly! I only question her taste in men ;)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Its never too late to jump in! ;D

[britishcowgirl.livejournal.com]

Which Cromwell are you talking about?

[emosnail.livejournal.com]

Lord Protector Oliver, and his roundheads! ::shakes fist::

[y0ur-c0nscience.livejournal.com]

Omg, FINALLY a good shirt about being irish exists!