Technological University ARROW@TU Dublin

Articles School of Business and Humanities

2002-3

Searching for the Irish Soul

Eamon Maher Technological University Dublin, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ittbus

Part of the Modern Literature Commons, and the Religion Commons

Recommended Citation Maher, E., (2002) ''Searching for the Irish Soul'', Reality, Vol.67, No.3, March, pp.25-25

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Business and Humanities at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Articles by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected].

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License ike a good number of people, the first (However, I somehow I heard of this book was when the doubt he will ever be Lcontroversy broke surrounding chosen as a spokesman for comments made in it by Cardinal the hierarchy.) I first Desmond Connell in relation to the encountered him through , his book, Kissing the Dark Walton Empey. These are just two of 16 (Veritas, 1999), which people interviewed by the author, Dr. emphasises the role of art Stephen Costello, on the highly relevant and literature in providing topic of the Irish soul. In spite of all the food for the soul. When furore caused by the Cardinal's comments asked how he would (he claimed that Dr. Empey would not be describe his relationship considered one of the Church of Ireland's with God, Hederman theological "high-fliers"), the interview replies: "It is like connect­ itself concentrates mainly on a rather ing with a very refined and high-brow discussion of angels and the reticent aristocratic French philosopher, Malebranche. It did animal." (p.118) That is a Om.mations with I Gerry Adams llvor B . not captivate this reader. wonderful response! It is Cardinal Desmond Connell I Rodd Do rowne I Catherine Colllelfont Brendan Dowling 1Marl: .,_~ Y yle I Archbimop Walton l!mpey One would imagine that we Irish are a clear from his remarks that Graham ICnu ·~•clc H

March 2002 Reality 25 Vespers, so prayer for us is liturgical. It's Comerford recounts how she got talk­ Richard Kearney is "hoping that the next wonderful. It's like a river, being in some ing to a male sex offender one day. She Pope will be more like John XXIII. But if kind of movement. Singing and breath­ asked him if he knew his victim, and not, I'll remain a Catholic, because I don't ing are very important. It's breath and when he replied "Yes", she enquired who believe that the Church belongs to the earth. It's not about mind." (p.123) There it was. It turned out to be his two-and-a hierarchy. It belongs to the people, to is much food for thought in those lines! half-year-old daughter: "Then he said, people like Sister Stan(islaus) and Jean 'You know, it wasn't my fault'. I wanted Vanier and to people who are actively Lay views to be physically sick. He wanted to blame thinking and working through their faith But let's get away from churchmen for a a two-and-a-half-year-old because of his on a day-to-day basis." (p.lSS) He echoes while and listen to what one of our best­ problems. He just didn't think he did the views of a good number of Irish known contemporary writers, Roddy anything wrong." (p.48) people in these lines. Doyle, has to say about the Irish soul. A Comerford is working side-by-side It has always struck me that people in self-professed atheist, he was active on with those who are reviled (sometimes Ireland are aU-or-nothing when it the 'Yes' side of the divorce referendum, with good reason) by many people who comes to their religious practice. They which polarised Irish society during the would like them to disappear off the face either accept Church teaching and obey 1990s. Doyle writes mainly about the of the earth. And certainly there are diffi­ it blindly or else they disagree with Dublin working classes, many of whom culties dealing with those who have aspects of doctrine and turn away from would have experienced marital break­ perpetrated heinous acts, especially it completely. The middle path down at first hand. He saw how alienated against children. Camus found the suggested by Richard Kearney is much these people had become from organised unnecessary suffering of children one of preferable. His following observation is religion and from politics. The quality of the reasons why he couldn't reconcile also insightful: "I think a revolution in their lives was not seen by them to be of himself with the concept of a loving the Irish Church is necessary to retrieve huge import to the religious and church God. Comerford's job is described by what is genuinely spiritual, mystical leaders of the day. Unemployment was Costello as being part of a divine mission and healing and to acknowledge the very high with all its attendant social and (Christ entreated his followers to visit sins that have been committed in the moral problems. References to Mass and those who are sick or in prison) and she name of God- and there have been a lot the Sacraments are rare indeed in Doyle's comes across as being a caring, spiritual of them." (p.l61) novels for the simple reason that they person. She says: "Yes, I am a practising had no impact on his characters' lives. Catholic. My faith is very important to Community of searchers Similarly, Doyle says of himself: me. I try to see good in everything. The This book could be a first step towards a "Religion now in Ireland doesn't inflict way I look at life is this: as far as I am rediscovery or a redefinition of the Irish itself on me. The new cardinal is an irrel­ concerned, everybody is good until they Soul. Certainly, it is a most worthwhile evance in my life, whereas he wouldn't prove otherwise." (p.SO) and attractively packaged publication. have been 20 years ago; my job prospects My own preference would have been for as a young teacher would have been a lot Nail on head Costello to approach some other people slimmer, etc. " (p98) The wheel has come Space does not permit me to refer to all like Fr. Peter McVerry and John full circle. There was a time when reli­ the interviews in this book. David Norris' McGahern, who would both have had gion was socially and politically advanta­ contribution was somewhat disappoint­ interesting comments to make on the geous in Ireland. People are now far more ing, as was that of Gerry Adams. Dana subject. But then again, I would never circumspect when it comes to declaring Rosemary Scallon hits the nail on the have thought of Catherine Comerford their religious beliefs- it's definitely not head when she says in relation to and she was one of the most enlighten­ "P.C." anymore to state that you are a contemporary Ireland: "There's a great ing of the people interviewed. At times, practising Catholic. A few decades ago it anxiety about the pace of change in the the central issue of soul is not too appar­ would be taken for granted. country and I think there has been such ent, and that is a pity. However, when Some of Roddy Doyle's creations could an unbalanced presentation of Christian people like Hederman share some of end up coming under the jurisdiction of values. You can't remove something and their innermost thoughts, the effect is Catherine Comerford, who is the have nothing in its place." (p.266) I electric. Here's one more quote from him Assistant Governor of Mountjoy Women's believe that the negative portrayal of about the spiritual adventure: "The more Prison. It is revealing to read the case organised religion in the Irish media has discovery I am given access to, the more I histories of some of the inmates of our been unbalanced but that the time is fast am intrigued, but it means more reading. prison system. Victims of unemployment, approaching where commentators are It's a community of searchers because no educational disadvantage, sexual abuse, beginning to realise that you have to offer one person understands it all ... You meet drug addiction, violence, the women with something to fill the void created by the your brothers and your sisters in the whom Catherine Comerford spends diminished importance of religion in the search." (p.l21) You meet a group of many hours are both dangerous and Irish psyche. Unlike the French, we don't searchers in The Irish Soul: In Dialogue, strangely vulnerable. The families of have a philosophical training to help us each of them embarked on a quest for many hardened criminals see nothing to conceive of life without the belief in the elusive soul. I recommend it highly untoward in the actions for which their God. The author of this book has clearly to the readers of Reality. • relatives have been convicted. The same found ways of nourishing his soul outside The Irish Soul In Dialogue, Stephen J. can be said for most of the prisoners. of traditional religious practice. Similarly, Costello, The Llffey Press, 2001, pp.270.

26 March 2002 Reality