A Reader Responds to Article
'A Few Historical Highlights of the Irish in Vancouver'
Dear Editor:
In the September issue of The Celtic Connection there was an article on the purported contemporary history of the Vancouver "Irish" by an obviously younger person. I say younger advisedly because no older person would surely be so brash as to rush headlong into something where "angels fear to tread."
This being an ongoing sea of contradiction, petty recriminations, frustration, and downright heartbreak for some others who, over the years, attempted to contribute and change things around that milieu.
Even the least cynical minded cannot but reluctantly admit, the "Irish" community of Vancouver, as it can be so described, because it certainly doesn't have any defined location and perhaps never had, is very different to most other Irish communities in big cities in North America, Britain and elsewhere.
The purpose of this letter is to respond to what I consider a rather garbled and very circumscribed account of the Vancouver Irish (I make no apology for the italics) and their endeavours in the recent and not so recent past.
The rather lame attempt at making record of the names of those supposed to have been "movers and shakers," during a certain period, left much to be debated. Who was it who said, "if don't think you can change history, you don't know historians."
The article referred to the closing of the Irish Society's bank account with the funds going to a sort of honorarium for past priests at St. Patrick's parish. A most commendable gesture and far be it for me to decry the justifiable recognition of the very worthy gentlemen. However, does such an overt expression of esteem not run counter to the oft reiterated claim of being a non-sectarian Society?
If it did not, then could it not be said that quite a number of unfortunate people of the time in Belfast and Derry not have made good use of that money? How about, for example, the Conway Mills project by Father Des Wilson? Never heard of it you say? How very interesting.
Further to this, just why did the Society go the way of all previous and indeed even later ones? I suppose it could be said that due to the flux of changes and expansion in the city, it had become more difficult for even "townies" as well as suburbanites to travel. They could now just as easily stay at home and watch their television.
Many of the younger Irish who could have been an asset were transient due to the nature of their work. When in "town," they wanted a less structured and more convivial Irish social atmosphere than what was being offered.
There was no Irish area as such, so there was nothing that could exercise some gravitational pull on them. They just blended in and became part of the regular crowd, with the Legions, pubs, and other social venues around town being the glad recipients of many.
Such are the expressed opinions. But the real reason for its demise, was the Society itself. From day one, the seeds of its own inevitable demise were nurtured and in due time, it succumbed to the siren song of what the old Scots called the "Unco Guid," the "Holier than Thous."
To declare the Society non-sectarian is so very proper, it shouldn't even be necessary to express it at all, especially to the Irish, who contrary to suggestions otherwise, are probably one of the most tolerant societies and least concerned about another's religion.
However, to demand that open-minded, intelligent and gregarious people should not even discuss politics, especially Irish politics, particularly within their own company, is an unpardonable insult to the Irish character.
For them, the Society was just an organization masquerading as a semi-cultural facade, without any real purpose, in a time of real Troubles in Ireland. Better to belong to nothing than something whose only apparent motivation was to beguile the unwary into backwaters of purposeless fripperies.
Things of note are always worthy of record but name dropping of people who may or may not have actually subscribed to events are not as equally important, and for good reason.
There is always the off chance, either by accident of design, of excluding some others more worthy of mentioning. It makes this kind of exercise mainly uncalled for and in some cases, plainly mischievous.
For this reason and hopefully to redress any inadvertent mistakes or lapses in this matter. I have enclosed some irrefutable although doubtlessly lesser known facts.
In conclusion, may I make a prediction? When a real peace comes to the six northeastern counties of Ireland, as it surely will, I'm betting that those timorous creatures who Sean O'Casey would probably have referred to as "ingratiating shoulder shrugging Joxers," and to whom I have alluded, will be the first to cry out, "Me too, I'm Irish," as they push their way to the head of the parade.
Yours truly,
Tom Phillips,
Celista, B.C.
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