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Irish/Basque Community Network (IBCON)

Spring/Summer Newsletter - 2011

The official newsletter of the Irish/Basque Association Cara

SUMMARY Welcome to this belated Spring/Summer 2011 edition of the Newsletter of the Irish/

Basque Association CARA. This issue includes a number of essays by CARA members, including

a report of the sensations experienced at the CARA Annual Christmas Dinner, celebrated in the

CafeAntzokia last December; another chapter of the newsletter historical section which explores

similarities between aspects of Irish and Basque history, culture and folklore; a paper exploring

the relevance of The Gernika Agreement and a reflection on the annual Korrika run in support of

the Basque language, among others. CARA President Eamon Roche writes in memory and honor

of Fergus Ryan whose absence among us due to a fatal cancer is sorely felt. However, the

continuing presence of those "twinkling eyes and smile from ear to ear" is felt by many. As usual,

there are a few reports of past events of the Association and news of forthcoming events of

interest, in addition to the advertisement of a number of job opportunities. Finally, you are

enthusiastically invited to participate in our forthcoming Autumn Picnic Fiesta, which is planned

to take place with a trip to the Urdaibai nature resort, near Gernika, this October. Details about

how to book your place will become available shortly on the CARA web (http://

www.laguncara.com). Enjoy your summer holidays!

CARA - BACKGROUND

The Irish/Basque Community Network (IBCON) wasestablished with a view to facilitating contact amonganyone with an interest in Irish/Basque matters.The Network is not an Irish Club, nor is it a BasqueClub, but rather, an association of people who share incommon their interest in Irish and/or Basque people,business, culture, etc. At the core of the IBCONnetwork is the Irish/Basque association CARA, whoseactivity hinges around four Key Meals a year (summer,autumn, Christmas and Easter). These are celebratedwith a view to consolidating relationships amongmembers of the network and stimulating projects ofinterest. Past events of the Association, as well as

IBCON/CARA 2011: 01/2doi: 10.5473/cara.1108012

We can be anything we want to be.

from The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barberry (1969-present)

Fig. 1. Spanish/Irish Business Network/CARA. Pan-Irish alumni net-work event last January in Bilbao, Barcelona and Madrid. In "The Dubliners",from left to right: Alvaro Arrizabalaga, Denise O'Flynn, Bríd Walsh, DavidFogarty, Rocco Caira and Mikel Arieta.

Correspondence or inquiries to: David J. Fogarty (Editor) or Bríd Walsh (Co-editor). e-mail: [email protected] - Web: http://www.laguncara.comDeclaration of interest: The authors declare that they have no commercial interests in elaborating this document or in establishing the network.

Note: Any ideas contained within this Newsletter represent the opinions of its individual authors. Statements made on behalf of the Irish Basque AssociationCARA will be made by unanimous resolution of its Management Board (Junta Directiva).

Distributed Online: 12 August 2011 - © 2011 CARA - Printed in Spain

forthcoming activities are regularly posted on theCARA web at: http://www.laguncara.com - if you haveany news you consider would be of interest to theNetwork, or if you would like to submit an article forpublishing in our newsletter, please do e-mail this to usat: [email protected]

2 www.laguncara.com [email protected]

OBITUARY

Fergus Ryan - a personal appreciation

by Éamon Roche([email protected])

Pidgin English and 100 watt bulbs

This may seem an unusual, even disrespectfulway to begin an appreciation of a recently-deceased, sorely-missed friend. However, asFergus was anything but usual or run-of-the-mill,the images fit my purpose.

From Pidgin English I want to borrow a termused, so I’ve been told, to refer to deity. Fergus didnot share the ordinary God-fearing Christian’sview of the after-life. So, thinking of Fergus as"Him-Big-Fellah-in-the-Sky" conjures up an imagethat for me, at least, respects my friend’s beliefswhile adding a warmer, friendlier nuance to thesense of loss. It also seems most appropriate thatThe Big Fellah is also a nickname given to MichaelCollins. In my eyes both of these Big Fellahsshared the same passionate, fiery sense ofIrishness.

I read somewhere that when Brendan Behanwalked into a room, the effect of his electrifyingpersonality was akin to that of a 100 watt bulbsuddenly being switched on. Fergus, the Big Fellah,with his larger-than-life personality, oozing charmand charisma - seems to have had a similar effecthere from the very beginning, when his arrival inBilbao was announced in a local paper as “London

creative joins Bilbao advertising agency”.

Creative and gifted he certainly was! The richnessof that wonderful voice of his singing beautiful, andoften less well-known, songs deeply-rooted inIrish history and folklore rendered with his uniquesean-nós - traditional style - colouring, would byturns take your breath away, pluck at your heartstrings or fill your eyes with tears. And there wasI, knowing the words of countless of Irish balladsbut always needing somebody to sing along just tokeep me in tune; there was I indeed, very Irish…verygreen…with envy because I was only in theha’penny place, as they used to say at home.

It wasn’t just the charm and the charisma either.There was also Fergus’s mischievous sense ofhumour. I can still see the twinkling eyes and hearthe ringing laughter as Fergus explained to methat quite a few people pronounced his name “FairGoose”! Were they intuitively praising his love ofharmless gansadas?

Though Fergus and I were born at different endsof the island of Ireland, our paths were destined tocross, and in Bilbao of all places! The signpostswere there all the time, even though neither of usrealized we were following them. Fergus RyanO’Connor was closely connected to Ryans andO’Connors from my hometown, Thurles, Co.Tipperary. Ryan is a very common surname inTipperary, so much so that the different familiesare distinguished by nicknames. Of course,Fergus’s link wasn’t with a Ryan Bucket, a RyanBit o’ Meat, Ryan Church Mouse, or Ryan HoppyMick; oh no, brilliant and shining as always,

CARA - Spring/Summer 2011 3

Fergus was connected to Ryan Jewellers! TheO’Connors ran the Munster Hotel, where many ofmy aunts helped out with the catering for weddings—asking, to our great delight as kids, if we wanteda forkin’ knife— and innumerable family get-togethers were celebrated over the years. Fergus—‘Fair Goose’?— and I seem to have been playingducks and drakes over the years. He married aBasque and came to Bilbao to live permanentlysome years before I did; he was involved in anIrish-Basque association years before I was andlater, probably following the Groucho Marx view,seems to have felt that any association thataccepted me as a member couldn’t be worthjoining; and, over time, he left what some like tocall a “real job” to go into language teachingwhereas, over time, I left language teaching to gointo a so-called “real job”!

We didn’t always see eye-to-eye either; on theodd occasion it was more eyeball to eyeball. In thegreat hurling tradition of counties such as Tipperarythe "clash of the ash" is much appreciated, but mydefence of an energy project being developed bymy “real job” Irish company led to a different kindof clash. I wanted the Big Fellah’s Irish approval forwhat I considered my Irish project, but there wasno budging him from his environmental Rock ofCashel. In the end we agreed to differ while lettingthe warmth of Jameson rekindle the fire offriendship. We both passionately believed in the

power of a few drops of the "hard stuff" to softenour conflicting claims to the moral high ground andtake the abrasiveness out of our "clash of egos".

The problem with 100 watt bulbs is they give offtoo much heat and very little light, but I’m lucky thatin your case I got warmth and light to see. LikeNewton, if I have seen a little further it is bystanding on the shoulders of a Big Fellah. John ofSalisbury got it exactly right in your case:

"we see more…not because our sight is

superior or because we are taller than

they, but because they raise us up, and by

their great stature add to ours."

I can’t listen to Liam Clancy’s rendering of TheParting Glass without thinking fondly of you:

Oh, all the comrades e’er I had,

They’re sorry for my going away,

And all the sweethearts e’er I had,

They’d wish me one more day to stay,

But since it falls unto my lot,

That I should rise and you should not,I gently rise and softly call,Good night and joy be with you all.

Fergus, You-Big-Fellah-in-the-sky, in the wind,in the mountain, in the waves, in the soft star thatshines at night, I’m eternally grateful our pathshave crossed and are crossing. I’ll take youradvice and I won’t stand at your grave to cry; I’llaccept you are not there, you did not die. At thesame time, I hope I’ll be able to follow DylanThomas’s recommendation:

Wild men who caught and sangthe sun in flight,… Do not go gentle into that good night.Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

In any case, when we do both meet face-to-faceagain, Big-Fellah-in-the-sky, I know you’ll be oneahead of me as always; and with your twinklingeyes and smile from ear to ear, you’ll be burstingto show me how you’ve managed to plough therocks of Bawn!

Éamon Roche, April 2011

Fergus passed away on 8th February 2011, following a long

battle with cancer. Goian bego (Eusk.)

Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís (Irish).


EVENTS

Speeches of Irish President Mary McAleeseand Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at DublinCastle - 18 May 2011.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II:

A Uachtaráin agus a chairde (President and friends).Prince Philip and I are delighted to be here, and toexperience at first hand Ireland’s world-famoushospitality.

Together we have much to celebrate: the tiesbetween our people, the shared values, and theeconomic, business and cultural links that make us somuch more than just neighbours, that make us firmfriends and equal partners.

Madam President, speaking here in Dublin Castle itis impossible to ignore the weight of history, as it wasyesterday when you and I laid wreaths at the Gardenof Remembrance.

Indeed, so much of this visit reminds us of thecomplexity of our history, its many layers and traditions,but also the importance of forbearance and conciliation;of being able to bow to the past, but not be bound byit.

Of course, the relationship has not always beenstraightforward; nor has the record over the centuriesbeen entirely benign. It is a sad and regrettable realitythat through history, our islands have experiencedmore than their fair share of heartache, turbulence andloss.

These events have touched us all, many of uspersonally, and are a painful legacy. We can neverforget those who have died or been injured, and theirfamilies. To all those who have suffered as aconsequence of our troubled past, I extend my sincerethoughts and deep sympathy. With the benefit ofhistorical hindsight we can all see things which wewould wish had been done differently or not at all. Butit is also true that no-one who looked to the future overthe past centuries could have imagined the strength ofthe bonds that are now in place between thegovernments and the people of our two nations, thespirit of partnership that we now enjoy, and the lastingrapport between us. No-one here this evening coulddoubt that heartfelt desire of our two nations.

Madam President, you have done a great deal topromote this understanding and reconciliation. You

set out to build bridges. And I have seen at first handyour success in bringing together different communitiesand traditions on this island. You have also shed newlight on the sacrifice of those who served in the FirstWorld War. Even as we jointly opened the MessinesPeace Park in 1998, it was difficult to look ahead to thetime when you and I would be standing together atIslandbridge as we were today.

That transformation is also evident in theestablishment of a successful power-sharing Executivein Northern Ireland. A knot of history that waspainstakingly loosened by the British and IrishGovernments together with the strength, vision anddetermination of the political parties in Northern Ireland.

What were once only hopes for the future have nowcome to pass; it is almost exactly 13 years since theoverwhelming majority of people in Ireland and NorthernIreland voted in favour of the agreement signed onGood Friday 1998, paving the way for Northern Irelandto become the exciting and inspirational place that it istoday. I applaud the work of all those involved in thepeace process, and of all those who support andnurture peace, including members of the police, theGardaí, and the other emergency services, and thosewho work in the communities, the churches andcharitable bodies like Co-operation Ireland. Takentogether, their work not only serves as a basis forreconciliation between our people and communities,but it gives hope to other peacemakers across theworld that through sustained effort, peace can and willprevail.

For the world moves on quickly. The challenges ofthe past have been replaced by new economicchallenges which will demand the same imagination


and courage. The lessons from the peace process areclear; whatever life throws at us, our individualresponses will be all the stronger for working togetherand sharing the load.

There are other stories written daily across theseislands which do not find their voice in solemn pagesof history books, or newspaper headlines, but whichare at the heart of our shared narrative. Many Britishfamilies have members who live in this country, asmany Irish families have close relatives in the UnitedKingdom.

These families share the two islands; they havevisited each other and have come home to each otherover the years. They are the ordinary people whoyearned for the peace and understanding we nowhave between our two nations and between thecommunities within those two nations; a living testamentto how much in common we have.

These ties of family, friendship and affection are ourmost precious resource. They are the lifeblood of thepartnership across these islands, a golden thread thatruns through all our joint successes so far, and all wewill go on to achieve. They are a reminder that we havemuch to do together to build a future for all ourgrandchildren: the kind of future our grandparentscould only dream of.

So we celebrate together the widespread spirit ofgoodwill and deep mutual understanding that hasserved to make the relationship more harmonious,close as good neighbours should always be.

President Mary McAleese

Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, Taoiseach, PrimeMinister, First Minister, Tanaiste, Foreign Secretary,Distinguished Guests:

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Dublin Castlethis evening on this the first ever State Visit to takeplace between our two countries. This visit is aculmination of the success of the Peace Process. It isan acknowledgment that while we cannot change thepast, we have chosen to change the future.

The relationship between our two neighbouringnations is long, complex and has often been turbulent.Like the tides that surround each of us, we haveshaped and altered each other. This evening wecelebrate a new chapter in our relationship that maystill be a work in progress, but happily, has also

become a work of progress, of partnership andfriendship.

The contemporary British-Irish relationship ismultifaceted and strongly underpinned by the mostimportant connection of all — people and families.

Large numbers of British born people live here inIreland and many more of our citizens have Britishbackgrounds, ancestry and identity. In Britain, those ofIrish birth, descent or identity are numbered in millions.

The two way flow of people between these islandsgoes back millennia. This very room is dedicated to StPatrick, whose name is synonymous with Ireland. Yethe is reputed to have been born in Britain. Patrick’s lifeas the man who brought Christianity to Ireland isillustrative of the considerable exchange of ideas andknowledge that there has been between our twonations throughout history.

It has been a fascinating two way street with Britainbestowing on Ireland our system of common law,parliamentary tradition, independent civil service,gracious Georgian architecture, love of Englishliterature and our obsession with the Premiership.Conversely, Britain greatly benefitted from the Irishgenius of the likes of Edmund Burke, the Duke ofWellington, Daniel O’Connell, Charles Stuart Parnell,Maria Edgeworth, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shawand even Father Ted. Indeed, it was Shaw who wrylyobserved that:

“England had conquered Ireland, so there wasnothing for it but to come over and conquer England.”

However, even Shaw might not have dared toimagine that this cultural conquest would come in timeto include rugby and cricket.

The Irish in Britain and the British in Ireland both as


individuals and communities, have made an invaluablecontribution to both our homelands while alsocementing the links between us.

Today those links provide the foundation for athriving economic relationship. As close trade andinvestment partners and as partners in the EuropeanUnion, Britain and Ireland are essential to each other’seconomic wellbeing. It is imperative that we workfluently together to promote the conditions that stimulateprosperity and opportunity for all of our people.

It is only right that on this historic visit we shouldreflect on the difficult centuries which have brought usto this point. Inevitably where there are the colonisersand the colonised, the past is a repository of sourcesof bitter division. The harsh facts cannot be altered norloss nor grief erased but with time and generosity,interpretations and perspectives can soften and openup space for new accommodations.

Yesterday, Your Majesty, you visited our Garden ofRemembrance and laid a wreath there in honour of thesacrifice and achievement of those who fought againstBritain for Irish independence. Today at Islandbridge,just as we did at the Island of Ireland Peace Park atMessines in 1998, we commemorated together thethousands of Irishmen who gave their lives in Britishuniform in the Great War.

As the first citizen of Ireland, like my fellowcountrymen and women, I am deeply proud of Ireland’sdifficult journey to national sovereignty. I am proud ofhow we have used our independence to build a republicwhich asserts the religious and civil liberty, equalrights and equal opportunities not just of all its citizensbut of all human beings. I am particularly proud of thisisland’s peace-makers who having experienced first-hand the appalling toxic harvest of failing to resolve oldhatreds and political differences, rejected the perennialculture of conflict and compromised enough to let anew future in.

The Good Friday Agreement represented a freshstart and committed us all to partnership, equality andmutual respect as the basis of future relationships.Under the Agreement, unionism and nationalism wereaccorded equal recognition as political aspirationsand philosophies. Northern Ireland’s present statuswithin the United Kingdom was solemnly recognised,as was the option for a united Ireland if that secures theagreement and consent of a majority of the people ofNorthern Ireland.

The collegial and cooperative relationship between

the British and Irish Governments was crucial to thesuccess of the Peace Process and we can thank thedeepening engagement between us as equal partnersin the European Union for the growth of friendship andtrust. The Governments’ collaborative efforts to bringpeace and power-sharing to Northern Ireland haveyielded huge dividends for the peoples of these twoislands.

W.B. Yeats once wrote in another context that“peace comes dropping slow.”

The journey to peace has been cruelly slow andarduous but it has taken us to a place where hopethrives and the past no longer threatens to overwhelmour present and our future. The legacy of the GoodFriday Agreement is already profound and encouraging.We all of us have a duty to protect, nurture and developit.

Your Majesty, from our previous conversations Iknow of your deep support for the peace process andyour longing to see relationships between our twocountries sustained on a template of goodneighbourliness. Your visit here is an important sign -among a growing number of signs - that we haveembarked on the fresh start envisaged in the GoodFriday Agreement. Your visit is a formal recognition ofwhat has, for many years, been a reality – that Irelandand Britain are neighbours, equals, colleagues andfriends. Though the seas between us have often beenstormy, we have chosen to build a solid and enduringbridge of friendship between us and to cross it to anew, a happier future.

Your Majesty, your Royal Highness it is in that spiritof mutual respect and warm friendship, it is in faith inthat future, that I offer you the traditional warm Irishwelcome - cead mile failte - one hundred thousandwelcomes.

I now invite you, distinguished guests, to stand and joinme in a toast:- To the health and happiness of Her Majesty and His

Royal Highness;- To the well-being and prosperity of the people of

Britain;- To the cause of peace and reconciliation on this

island;- And to continued friendship and kinship between the

peoples of Ireland and Britain.

Go raibh maith agaibh. (Thank you very much)


HISTORICAL CORNER

Discovering our Origins

by Vanessa Pérez ([email protected])

Hi everybody and welcome to this new bilingual historicalsection of the CARA Newsletter. In this little space you willbe able to remember or maybe learn a bit of Irish History andyou will learn as well a little bit of Basque Mythology. Sohere is the second chapter; I hope you continue to enjoythem.

Neolithic Ireland

By 3,000 BC, Mesolithic man had been superseded by themore advanced Neolithic, or new Stone Age Man, whose originswere in continental Europe. They led a much more settled life,rearing livestock, clearing and cultivating the soil.

At the Ceide Fields, near Ballycastle in north County Mayo, anetwork of new stone-age fields has recently been discoveredunder 6 m (20 ft) of bog, indicating that there was once a largepopulation in this area which is now quite remote.

Neolithic peoples were also responsible for the construction ofthe great megalithic passage grave at Newgrange, County Meath.This tomb, which today stands 11 m (36 ft) high and has adiameter of 85 m, is the work of a large disciplined society. Similarmonuments found at nearby Knowth and Dowth leave little doubtthat there was a major population centre here in the valley of theBoyne river. The Newgrange tomb also reveals that these peoplehad an interest in astronomy, for a small opening at one end of the19-m passage allows sunlight to illuminate the central chamber atthe heart of the mound at dawn on the winter solstice.

Archeologists believe that this spectacular ancient tomb wasbuilt about 5,000 years ago (3200 BC), 500 years before thepyramids in Egypt and 1,000 years before Stonehenge. Newgrangeis now said to be one of the world´s oldest structural sites.

Early myths and legendsAnother, parallel, version of the early history of Ireland comes

from the Book of Invasions, a collection of myths, legends andbeliefs gathered together by Christian historians around 1100 AD,although it is clearly part of a much earlier tradition.

This collection tells ofgiants, of supernaturalpeoples, of great battles, ofsorcerers, of gods and magicspells. It gives the Irish agenealogy that dates back toNoah – via Spain, Egypt andBabel – and tells how a peopleknown as the “Milesians”conquered Ireland andbanished such tribes as theFir Bolg and the Tuatha DeDanann. The Milesians arereputedly the ancestors of thepeople now known as Irish.Another feature of many ofthe Irish legends isdinnseanchas, or “lore ofplace”, in which the storyteller tries to explain how a particularplace received its name or how a certain geographical feature wasformed. It is through dinnseanchas that the volcanic basalt columnsof the North Antrim coast have acquired the name, the Giant´sCauseway.

The Causeway was the work of the giant Finn McCool, anUlster warrior and commander (or king) of Ireland´s armies.Legend has it that Finn could pick thorns out of his heels whilerunning and was capable of amazing feasts of strength. Once,during a fight with a Scottish giant, he scooped up a huge clod ofearth and flung it at his fleeing rival. The clod fell into the sea andturned into the Isle of Man. The hole it left filled up with water andbecame Lough Neagh.

Irish history is rich with such myths and legends. Many weavetrue history with brilliant threads of myth and lore; this happenedwith the legend of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. The oldstories of Irish kings are woven and intertwined with tales offaeries and mystical gods. Add to these the Irish Druids, the Celtsand the birth of Christianity, and the line between fact and fantasydims even more.

La historia del Olentzero

La historia del Olentzero comienza en el municipio Navarro deLarraun. ¿Queréis conocer la verdadera historia del Olentzero?.Entonces, abrid bien los ojos y permaneced atentos a estaslíneas.

En los bosques de Euskal Herria, hace muchos, muchísimosaños, vivía un hada muy bella de cabellera amarilla y ojos muybrillantes. Como todas las hadas, cuidaba de la gente y estabaacompañada por unas criaturas similares a los duendes llamadosPrakagorri (pantalones rojos) que laayudaban en todo su trabajo.

Un día que el hada estaba viajando através de las montañas mientras estabapeinando sus cabellos en una fuente,los prakagorri le anunciaron que algohabía moviéndose entre los helechos.Los duendes gritaron para llamar laatención del hada, y ante su sorpresa(ella no entendía como los humanos


habían podido dejarlo abandonado), encontraron un bebéhumano. El hada le dijo al bebé: «tu nombre será Olentzero,porque es una cosa maravillosa haberte encontrado. Y poreste acto, te daré los regalos de Fuerza, Coraje y Amor, portodo el tiempo que tú vivas». Entonces cogió al niño y lollevo a una vieja casa en el límite del bosque donde vivíanun hombre y una mujer que no tenían hijos. Así que,sabiendo el hada que serían muy felices de recibir al bebé,lo dejó enfrente de su puerta para que lo encontraran.

Muy pronto, al amanecer, cuando el hombre se levantóa ordeñar las vacas encontró al bebé y corriendo gritó y selo enseñó a su esposa. Muy contentos de haber recibido aese niño, rápidamente lo taparon con una frazada, le dieronde comer y lo tomaron como su hijo. A partir de esemomento, Olentzero creció entre los bosques y se convirtióen un fuerte, amable y saludable hombre que nunca tuvo lapreocupación de cómo había llegado a ser encontrado porsus padres.

Olentzero trabajaba todos los días del año haciendocarbón y ayudando a su padre, pero lo inevitable sucedió ydespués de muchos años, los que habían sido susprogenitores murieron y Olentzero se quedó muy solo en sucasa del bosque haciéndose viejo con el paso de los años.Poco a poco fue entristeciendo y se fue dando cuenta deque lo que necesitaba era ayudar a otras personas. Recordóque en el pueblo había una casa donde vivían los niños queno tenían padres, ellos vivían de lo que la gente del puebloles daba, "esos niños son solitarios como yo" - pensóOlentzero, así que trató de hacer algo para que fueran másfelices.

Así que, como Olentzero era muy hábil haciendo cosascon las manos, se dispuso a hacer juguetes para los niñosy muñecas para las niñas con la idea de dárselos cuandofuera al pueblo a vender carbón. Cuando acabó de hacerlas muñecas y los juguetes, los metió todos en un saco, locargó en su burro junto al carbón y marchó al pueblo muycontento pensando en lo que iba a hacer.

Olentzero les dio los regalos a los niños quienes losrecibieron muy contentos, él estuvo jugando con ellos todo

el día, contándoles las historias que había aprendido de supadre cuando era pequeño. Los niños y niñas a partir deese momento amaron mucho al Olentzero y ya no sesintieron tan solos como antes. Olentzero fue reconocidoen el pueblo, y cada día, cuando llegaba a vender su carbónera rodeado por todos los niños.

Esto sucedió durante muchos años hasta que un díahubo una tremenda tormenta en el pueblo, bosque ymontañas, la cual destruyó muchas cosas. Los truenos,rayos y el frio dejaron muy asustadas a las gentes delpueblo y especialmente a los niños. Olentzero, que estabade camino hacia el pueblo vio como un rayo caía en unacasa. Se acercó y vio a unos niños en su interior muyasustados pidiendo ayuda dado que la casa ardía enllamas. Olentzero, cubrió a los niños con una manta paraprotegerles del fuego y los sacó a través de una ventana porel primer piso. Mientras él estaba tratando de salir, una granviga se desprendió y cayó sobre él provocando que sufuerte y gran corazón se detuviera. Las personas delpueblo comenzaron a llorar por lo sucedido lamentándosedado que no había nada que ellos pudieran hacer.

En ese mismo momento fueron sorprendidos por unabrillante luz que salía de la casa. Nadie pudo ver lo quesucedíó. Dentro de ella, apareció el hada que habíaencontrado al Olentzero cuando era un bebe en el bosquemuchos años antes, esta le llamo por su nombre con sudulce voz. El hada le dijo: "Olentzero, tú has sido un buenhombre, lleno de fe y de buen corazón. Has dedicado todatu vida a hacer cosas para los demás, y has dado hasta tupropia vida para salvar a otras personas. Por lo tanto noquiero que mueras, quiero que vivas para siempre. Deahora en adelante tú harás juguetes y otros regalos para losniños que no tienen padres en todos los rincones de EuskalHerria". Al oir esto, los prakagorris se apresuraron a decirque ellos le ayudarían.

Y a partir de ese momento así sucedió. En la mitad delinvierno, al final de cada año, Olentzero va por todos lospueblos de Euskal Herria repartiendo juguetes a los niñosque no tienen padres ni abuelos que les hagan regalos. Losniños de todos lospueblos celebran lallegada del Olentzerocantando canciones ye s p a r c i e n d omensajes de amor.

Muchas personasno creen que elOlentzero exista peromuchas otrassostienen que entrelos vascos existe todolo que tenga unnombre y realmentequeramos que exista.


PAST EVENTS

3 Navidades con CARA en Bilbao

by Edurne Barrañano([email protected])

Mis amigos Javi y Encar no conocen Irlanda:desde hace tiempo ella quiere viajar allí; él todavíanecesita pensarlo y, quizás para salir de dudas,este año han venido a la Fiesta de Navidad de laAsociación Vasco-Irlandesa Cara.

Sábado 13 diciembre 2010, Café Antzokia,Bilbao. En la calle, Asier toca la gaita para daruna calurosa bienvenida y arrancarnos unasonrisa antes de entrar. ¡Cuánta gente! ¡Pensabaque estarías en una mesa no más...! – exclamanmis amigos. Las mesas están ocupadas porhombres y mujeres, adultos y niños, Vascos,nacidos en Irlanda, descendientes de irlandeses,incluso algunos ingleses, todos amigos, todoscon el corazón tocado por la isla. Porque allíconocieron a alguien..., estudiaron eso, vivieronaquello..., y fueron más jóvenes y viajaron a otrasciudades y países y ahora están aquí. Cada unopodría contar una historia diferente. Mis amigosescuchan, sorprendidos e interesados, como losviernes Gabi fichaba con sus compañeros a la

salida del trabajo e iban todos juntos al pub acompartir unas Guinness a cuenta de la empresa;como Xabi adora Irlanda y sus gentes y lo muestraa través de los nombres de su hija, su perrito y sucorreo electrónico; que si qué ciudad irlandesa separece más a Bilbao, que si Cork, que si Belfast,eh! que también Dublín con su río Liffey merecuerda a Bilbao...

De entre todas las actividades de CARA, estees el día más especial y multitudinario, tanto paralas personas que se quedan en Bilbao como paralas que se irán a Eire en Navidad. Miro alrededor,nos saludamos unos a otros, y me doy cuenta quealgunas personas nos encontramos sólo una vezal año, y esto también tiene su gracia.

Mientras tanto, ya ha llegado Santa Claus, y esque en ningún sitio uno está seguro de si va a venirpuntualmente, tampoco en CARA. Pero aquí estáy, como la latitud lo pide, ¡¡¡lleva gafas de sol!!!Mientras los niños le rodean expectantes SantaClaus va ofreciendo su regalo: este año soncepillos y pasta de dientes, todo un detalle. Y enun pis pas, los niños están sentados frente aplatos de pasta...y al ver tantos niños pequeños,uno piensa que sí que son prolíficos estosirlandeses y sus amigos, y para no echar la culpaa terceros, una ya aporta la parejita. Después lesespera una obra de teatro de Payasos Sesadis.¡Qué gran día para la chiquillería! Le pregunto amis hijos Sean y Anne de 6 y 10 años qué si lesgusta la asociación CARA y me responden “….”.

Nosotros mayores podemos sentarnos paracomer, charlamos con Naomi y Gorka, con Fiona


y Patxi, con Cormac y Eunate... Y me doy cuentaque todas las Fiestas de Navidad de CARA tienenlos mismos elementos –una estupenda comida ybebida, músicos, baile, actuaciones para niños yrifas y un ambiente muy caloroso, lo llaman ‘craic’aparentemente- pero que siempre son distintas. Yentonces recuerdo mi primera fiesta en 2008 enAstrabudua con aquel magnífico guiñol de Joe,David y Kieran que me robó el corazón. Un abrazodesde aquí a Kieran, Ane y familia, que hanseguido el viaje de vuelta al norte. Y en 2009 misegunda fiesta en La Arboleda, en la que ya mereencontraba con algunos de vosotros, disfrutandode los villancicos, los músicos y el baile.

Y este año estamos en el corazón de Bilbao...,y el regalo del viaje a Irlanda ha bendecido aManu, gracias a Aerlingus. Por cierto, ¡qué alegríaencontrar financiación para poder entretener a lospeques y reunirnos este día! Así que, en justacorrespondencia, quiero nombrar a todas lasorganizaciones que nos han ayudado; Va porustedes: Sanitas, Primark, Iris Summer Camp,Aerlingus, L@s Informátika, Panda Software,Murphy´s, Bord Bía, The Residence, The WicklowArms, Scanlan's. Thank you! Go raibh maith agabhgo leír!

Allí donde haya irlandeses habrá músicos.Doctor Flashback (Carlos, Josean, Juan y Chema)sube primero al escenario y volvemos a los añossetenta recordando grupos como ‘The Band’ y‘Creedence’, incluso un dulce “Whiskey on aSunday’. El tiempo aprieta y Jonnny, el mago de

los últimos jueves de mes en el bar Residence unesus canciones contundentes con el calor de lamúsica ‘session’ orquestado por Mike, Arantxa yManu. ¡Cuánto más rápido fluye la sangre con elsonido de los ‘Uillean Pipes’ de Andoni!

Mientras tanto se retiran algunas mesas delespacio central del Café Antzokia: con ecos delbarrio de Otxarkoaga, y al arranque de algunosreels empezaron a avanzar, retirar, ‘threes’ and‘sevens’ y girar. Este año sí se ha podido bailar los‘Walls of Limerick’, gracias a la persistencia eilusión de Seamus, David, Guren, Iraide, Pat y demuchos niños. Luego, en una especie de fusióncultural impredecible se oyeron los gritos de Asier:‘erdiska’, jausi, ‘dobla’ y los mismos hicieron ungran ‘Zaspi Jausi’.

Mi sensación de vuelta a casa, después dedejar el Café Antzokia y The Residence, es que lohabíamos pasado fenomenal de principio a fin, laspersonas rebosaban energía… y que, quizás, loque más define a los irlandeses es esas ganasque tienen de que tú lo pases bien entre ellos.¿Qué opinas tú?

Meeting of CARA board - February 2011

On 4th February last, the CARA managementcommittee met to celebrate another year of CARAactivities and to plan events for 2011. An excellentmeal, presided by our visionary President andboard members, was enjoyed by all in theRestaurante Passerella (Bilbao). Planning includedin particular St. Patrick's Week celebrations andthe 2011 Summer Picnic.


Sunday 13 March 2011, 11.30 h

WHAT: Irish/Basque Dance/Song Workshop for Adults &Kids (Otxarkoaga, Bilbao). Followed by Menu del Día at13.30 h in a nearby restaurante.

WHERE: Sala de Danzas, Centro Cívico OtxarkoagaAuzo Etxea, Bilbao.

Wednesday 16th March, 21.00 h

WHAT: St. Patrick’s Eve Live Irish Music "Seisiún CheoilGhaelach"

WHERE: ResidenceCafe, Bilbao, with uilleann pipes,bodhrán, whistles, fiddles, concertina. Authentically Irish/Basque!

St. Patrick's Celebrations - March 2011

A complete range of activities was organized thisyear to celebrate St. Patrick's Day - or week, as itis becoming! These included a Key Meal on St.Patrick's Day itself, celebrated in the BotavaraRestaurante in Bilbao, which included a motivatingspeech by Dr. Juan Duran on the importance ofthinking critically in today's society. The talk wastitled "On the Obligation to Doubt". Further detailsof the events throughout the week are outlinedbelow.


Mario Atorrasagasti, ayoung member of CARA'sIrish Basque Communitylooking forward to a fun-filled St Patrick´s Day inEuskadi.

Friday 18th March, 22.00 h

WHAT: San Patrizioko Kontzertua. Featuring Barry Kerr &Ruben Bada. Gaita irlandesa, flautas, guitarra...

WHERE: The Piper’s Irish Pub, Avda. Basagoiti, 47, Algorta(Vizcaya).

Sunday 20th March

Gernika "Tír na nÓg" Family day-out.11.00 am Birdwatching. Parque de Europa, Gernika and/orpath along river from town to stork nests. Stroll around park,listening to natural birdsongs. Explanation of calls andsongs by David Henderson. Questions and Answers.Plastified sheets with pictures of the main songbirds will beavailable to facilitate identification. Kids can bring bikes too.Bring your binoculars! For further information, contact:David Henderson at [email protected]

13.30 h Pub Grub in Scanlan’s Tavern. See menu at http://www.laguncara.com/images/docs/ScanlanMenu.pdf orMenu a la carte in neighboring restaruant.

16.00 h Irish/Basque dancing and Live Irish Music.All welcome (beginners + professionals; adults + kids).

CARA STRATEGIC REFLECTION - Version 2.0 - Feb. 2010

During a meeting of the CARA management board in 2009, it was deciedto commence a "Strategic Reflection" with a view to identifying clearlywhat we want CARA to be over the next few years. One way of doing thisis to define VISION, MISSION and VALUE statements. As a rework ofthe initial suggestions by the Board, taking on board comments receivedfrom other members, please read the following new suggestions. Dothey coincide with your ideas? Would you prefer to modify them? Wouldyou like to suggest completely new ones? Please feel free to send yourfeedback to Seamus M. ([email protected]). When we havestatements we members agree on and resonate with, we can thenproceed to elaborate the corresponding Strategic Plan for CARA.

VISIONA vision is a statement about what the organization wants to become.It should resonate with all members of the organization and help themfeel proud, excited, and part of something much bigger than themselves.A vision should stretch the organization’s capabilities and image of itself.It gives shape and direction to the organization’s future.Proposal: CARA aspires to becoming a welcoming, tolerant, vibrantcommunity of diverse people with Irish/Basque interests, renowned forproviding active, quality, caring support for its members and forcontributing through our synergy to the enrichment and integration of theplural society in which we live.

MISSIONMission is a precise description of what the organization does. It shoulddescribe the activities the organization is in. It is a definition of “why” theorganization exists currently.Proposal:- To provide an effective forum for the fruitful interaction of Irish peopleliving in or around the Basque Country, with native Basques, enhancingrelations between diverse individuals and families at all levels of society(culture, business, entertainment, etc.).- To promote the interaction and communication of its members byorganizing enjoyable and valuable social events which celebrate theIrish and Basque cultures.- To actively promote our common values of welcoming, caring, fun anda bit of "craic".- CARA focuses more on our shared interests and values than on ourdifferences, following the principle that "union differentiates".

VALUESValues are the broadly defined as the way we do things, the keyapproaches the organization will use to accomplish its mission and drivetoward the vision.ProposalsKNOWLEDGE of our different cultures and peoples as a basis forRESPECT: seeing people as they are, not merely tolerating, but activelyappreciating their individuality and uniqueness, thereby consolidatingpublic interest, trust and pride in CARA.RESPONSIBILITY: the ability or readiness to respond to the needs ofour times, together with a leadership which is vigorous, professional andtransparent in its service of the members of the Association.CARING for the society in which we live, empowering each member tomake her/his own contribution based on specific talents/expertise/experience.

Send your feedback and proposals to:

([email protected])


Badator Korrika!!!

by David Henderson([email protected])

To those of you who are not familiar with theKorrika, it is a popular community marathon runthroughout the Basque Country. This year theKorrika started on 7thh April in Trebiño and endwith a festival in Donostia on 17th April. Eachkilometre of the Korrika is sponsored by individuals,organisations and businesses with the aim ofraising as much money as possible in order to helpAEK, the organisers of the Korrika, who arededicated to the teaching of Basque to adults. Butthe Korrika itself is an opportunity to bring peopletogether, have a bit of fun, do a bit of sport andultimately show their support for the Basquelanguage. If you have ever taken part in a Korrikayou will understand the excitement it generates aspeople of all ages wait expectantly for the sound ofdistant music which signals that the Korrika isabout to arrive.

would be great to see as many Irish people aspossible there with Irish flags and regalia (the oddsod of turf, any old Brian Kennedy record, sodabread, the holy black stuff, etc) to show wherewe’re from.

The half kilometre that we are sponsoring costs133 Euros so we would need people to dig intotheir pockets and contribute 10 Euro towards itscost whether they can participate or not. Cara hasagreed to promote awareness of the event amongits members, but the bulk of the money would haveto be paid by both members and non-members.The easiest thing would be to transfer the moneyinto Cara’s account 3035-0122-86-1220-0213-58(Caja Laboral Popular) with the word Korrika andinform Cara of the transfer [email protected]. Alternatively, the moneycould be given on the day to "Saint Patrick" himselfwho will be there to give his blessing. Let’s hopethat between everyone we can contribute just alittle bit to one of the biggest events in the Basquecultural calendar. Anima zaitez!!!

The Irish community has been actively present inthree Korrikas, one in Sestao many years agothanks to sponsorship from Mike Moulton fromThe Wicklow Arms (Bilbao) and various personalcontributions, and both four and two years agothanks to Cara. This year I would hope that theIrish would be prepared to take part in running halfa kilometre in Astrabudua, Erandio. Our kilometreis to be run on Saturday 16th April atapproximately 09:00 from the Plaza Murueta inAstrabudua, not too far from the Metro station. It

CARA Annual General Meeting (AGM)

This year's AGM was held in the Alhondiga, Bilbaoon Friday 20th May, followed by a sumptuousmeal in the Italian Passerella restaurante, AlamedaUrquijo, Bilbao. Our thanks to the outgoing boardmembers, including Iraide Sagarda, RománBasurto and former Secretary Mike Murphy, fortheir presence among us and contributions, eachin their own way, to the Board. We express our


Presentation of Chesús Yuste's novel "LaMirada del Bosque" FNAC, Bilbao - April 2011

A small, but distinguished group of CARA membersaccompanied Chesús Yuste during thepresentation of his new novel. Chesús, who isfrom Zaragoza, has a long-standing interest in andpassion for Ireland and the Irish.

En esta historia de intriga, con el sabor ysentido del humor de los cuentos irlandeses,

WHAT: Irish/Basque Dancing Classesfor Adults and KidsWHEN: Throughout 2011WHERE: Centro Cívico, Otxarkoaga (Bilbao)

Thanks to the untiring initiative of SeamusMcQuaid and in collaboration with Asier Bilbao,

warm welcome to Maria-Jesús Cambra who wasnominated as the new Vocal for Events and to thenew Secretary, David Fogarty. Wishing you afruitful and productive time on the Board.

y con la Irlanda de 1992 como telón de fondo(a punto de desperezarse el Tigre Celta, apunto de agotarse el ciclo de violencia en elNorte, a punto de construirse la UniónEuropea…), va desfilando un mosaico depersonajes: un potentado encerrado en sucastillo, un artista que pinta desnudo, unamujer misteriosa que vive en el bosque, uninspector lleno de complejos, un ministro queno sabe decir Ballydungael, un hombreperdido que pregunta una dirección, un chinoque habla irlandés… y, como un actor más, lafrontera de la partición que marca sus vidas.

Chesús authors the widely consulted blog aboutireland Innisfree which can be consulted at:http://innisfree1916.wordpress.com/


UPCOMING EVENTS

WHAT: Music workshop and meal with NiamhNí CharraWHEN: September 2011WHERE: Bilbao

The world-famous Irish musician Niamh Ní Charrahas very kindly agreed to participate with CARA inan informal event centered around Irish and Basquemusic. For more details, see CARA web at:http://www.laguncara.com

WHAT: Urdaibai Family Pic-NicWHEN: Saturday 8th October 2011WHERE: Torre Madariaga, Gernika

We are currently planning a day out for all thefamily, including a visit to the Torre MadariagaCentro de Interpretación, near Gernika and aguided tour of the Urdaibai marshes, followed bya canoe trip down the river. More details to appearon the web at www.laguncara.com

the second round of Irish/Basque DancingClasses was held from October-June 2011 inthe Centro Cívico de Otxarkoaga. Both youngand younger(!) joined in. The next classes arescheduled to be held on October 2011. Classesbegin at 11.30 h till 13.00 h, after which we go foran aperitivo nearby and a Menu del Dia andafter the customary Café, Copa y Puro, headhome around 18.00 h. A complete day indeed!To join up, send an e-mail to Seamus at:[email protected]. Please note that noprevious experience is required.


NEWS and JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Irish Summer Camp (ISC)

by Adolfo Pérez Muela ([email protected])

The essence of our childhood has always been in the summer…."If you live within the most tight and secluded forest, if nobodyknows you, even if nobody knows where you live, but at thesame time you produce the best cricket cage of this world, thenyou do not worry: the world will open a path through the forestto reach the cabin where you live", the philosopher Emersonsaid. Irish Summer Camp offers children’s holidays in English.

Our children have completed an intensive school year; theytoo have felt the same pressure as adults feel in our working life.Now we have an opportunity to change their lifestyle, they cansee things from a new perspective, they can have fun….It’s

ADOLFO PÉREZ MUELACAMP DIRECTOR

[email protected]

Santoña, a 9 de Febrero de 2011POL. IND. LAS MARISMAS, Nº 5

39740 SANTOÑAsummer!Here is where we come in, offering a new

approach to education which is lacking in theformal education systems that they are used to(at school and within the family). We know theyare on vacation, but children still feel the needto be stimulated intellectually.

Where are we? The area of Soba is locatedin the far southeast of Cantabria, bordering onthe provinces of Burgos and Vizcaya. It is oneof the lesser known areas of Cantabria andalso well preserved, offering us a beautifullandscape. If you require further information,please visit the website:www.irishsummercamp.com

In 2011, the theme of the camp will bedirected at learning about the life of Irishpeople since ancient times and theirrelationship with Spanish people, the thingsthat unite us, the things we have in common…

Do you want to work with us?ISC is recruiting English speaking instructors

with experience in early childhood education, whohave some interest or experience in one of thefollowing areas: theatre, Irish dancing (Ceilidh),environmental studies (biology, botany), outdoorgames, sports, or some first aid knowledge. If youare interested, please send your CV along with abrief summary of your experience in your specialityand your enthusiasm for working with children.Irish Summer Camp offers a contract of employmentfrom July to mid August 2011.


NEWS and JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Daddytxo.ESC(English Speaking Centre)

by Macrea Clark([email protected])

Se esta preparando en Urretxu (Gipuzcoa) laapertura de un centro educativo enfocado en elapoyo y soporte para niño/as desde los 6 añosquienes quieren aprender a hablar el idioma anglosajón.DADDYTXO es un centro totalmente dedicado alhablar, utilizando materiales aptos para las edadescorrespondientes de grupos desde las 6 a 8 años,8 a 10 años, 10 a 12 años. El profesor dará clasestrabajando la pronunciación y ampliandovocabulario. Con una gama de proyectos creativos,utilizando programas de ordenadores para grabarvideo e audio material para que cada alumno/a seacostumbra a hablar ingles. Así, cada alumno deeste centro puede hacer un seguimiento de supropio desarrollo. De los 6 años hasta los 12 añoshabrá material adaptado a sus necesidades.

El enfoque del hablar es algo en el aprendizajeque generalmente no se dedica mucho tiempo. Laintención de este centro es sencillamente sacarprovecho del hecho de que la mayoría de los niño/as que viven aquí sea bi/trilingüe, lo cual lesfacilitá a la hora de aprender otro idioma sea cualsea.

Guardería y escuela infantil en inglésby Susan Diggory([email protected])

WHAT:Sunshine Nursery and Preschool is a part ofSunshine Learning Centre.For children from 1 to 5 years old* Open 8:30 to 17:00 (possibility of mornings only,until 13:00)* Experienced native teachers* Learning through music and songs, hands-onnatural science* Based on Montessori principles where childrenlearn at their own pace* Lots of individual attention, with low child/teacherratio of only 6:1

WHERE:Rodríguez Arias, 55 – Bilbao Now registering.+INFO:Tel: 94-439- 8004 (Susan Diggory) -Web: www.sunshinelearningcentre.es

El centro esta en fase de preparación paraabrirse el día 1 de Marzo de 2011 y esta situadoen la Calle Labeaga 2(bajo) de Urretxu. 20700.Para contactar con nosotros:Mob: 652.705.676Tel: 943.037.771e-mail: [email protected]


OPINION

The Gernika Agreement

by David Henderson([email protected])

Over the last thirty years or so there have beenvarious attempts at finding a peaceful solution tothe Basque conflict, the last one just 4 years agoin 2006 when ETA declared a ceasefire, followedby talks between members of Batasuna (illegalLeft-wing Basque nationalist party), the PNV(moderate Basque centre-right nationalist party)and the PSE (Spanish Socialist party of Euskadi).The talks broke down amid mutual accusations ofresponsibility and ETA ended its ceasefire with abomb in Barajas airport in Madrid which left twoEcuadorean immigrant workers dead. After thisbomb the Spanish government stated that itwould never again have talks with ETA or any of itsinterlocutors. It continued its policy of consideringany political organisation that refused to condemnETA as being a part of ETA and many more of theleaders of the banned political party Batasunawere arrested and sent to prison charged withtrying to continue the political work of this partywhich the Spanish government claims is anintegral part of ETA. The Spanish government hasalso continued its policy of sending Basqueprisoners to the prisons furthest away from theBasque Country and denying them any form of

parole. In fact, the longest serving prisoner willsoon have served nearly 31 years in prison!

The main Spanish political parties, the PSOEand the PP, have even been able to form agovernment in the Basque parliament thanks tothe fact that although Batasuna is illegal tens ofthousands of its supporters reject voting for othernationalist parties and have consistently voted forillegal electoral lists which are then declared nulland void. The most visible spokesperson forBatasuna is Arnaldo Otegi, who is now in prisonaccused of being a member of a terroristorganization. Yet, together with other leaders ofBatasuna, Arnaldo Otegi has been instrumental inconvincing not only supporters of Batasuna of theneed for an unarmed political strategy but alsoETA. There have been numerous calls for hisrelease so that he can continue this work. Fewpeople in the Basque Country would doubt hissincerity and compromise at finding a peacefulsolution to the conflict in the Basque Country.

It is in this context that the Gernika Agreementwould appear to offer the best possible hope for apeaceful solution to a conflict which has gone onmuch too long. The agreement was signed lastSeptember 2010 by the Basque political partiesAbertzale Batasuna Alternativa, Aralar, EzkerAbertzalea (Batasuna), Eusko Alkartasuna andEzker Batua as well as some trade unions andvarious other associations. However, despiteconsidering the agreement to be a very positivestep the main Basque nationalist party, the PNV,has not yet signed up to the agreement, more dueto its wider political strategies than to anyfundamental objections to the contents of theagreement. So far, the PSOE itself has tried toavoid seeing anything new in this agreement butmore recently members of the party in the BasqueCountry have started to show discrepancies withthe leadership on this matter. Not surprisinglyperhaps, the Spanish centre-right PP hascondemned any attempt to talk about anythingexcept handing over of arms.

But the agreement itself is very clear on manyaspects and anyone familiar with the Irish Peace


process will recognize many of the key elementsin the Gernika Agreement. Indeed, one of the mostimportant parts of the agreement is the one inwhich a requirement is made to sign up to theMitchel principles which ensures that onlydemocratic and exclusively peaceful means beused to resolve the conflict. The Agreement callson ETA to declare a permanent, unilateral andverifiable ceasefire (something which was declaredin January of this year) and on the government torepeal the most repressive measures of its prisonpolicy. It also calls for an end to all forms ofviolence or threats of violence as well as thederogation of the law banning political parties. Italso calls on citizen groups to give their backing tothe Agreement and significantly it proposes thatan international group to verify that the Agreementis not violated.

Certainly there is bound to be a lot of skepticismabout the definitiveness of an ETA ceasefire giventhe number of break downs in the past. Nor is theremuch room for optimism regarding thegovernment´s negative response but from theIrish experience we now know that manyunimaginable things are possible. Who wouldhave said that they would live to see the day whenMartin McGuiness and Ian Paisley would be Deputyand First Ministers respectively in a Stormontgovernment? Today in the Basque Country thisAgreement offers, to my mind, the best opportunityfor a peaceful solution to the conflict in the BasqueCountry but it needs the support, not just of thepolitical parties but also the support of as manycitizens groups as possible. Surely we Irish shouldsee the need to give our backing to such animportant Agreement and make it known outsidethe Basque Country?

David Henderson (2/2/2011)

Reader's Corner

Kate O'Brien and the Fiction of Identity

A feminist investigation into the work of a keywriter of the twentieth century, Kate O’Brien. Thebook focuses on O’Brien’s autobiographical femalebildungsroman Mary Lavelle, published (andbanned) in 1936. That novel is used to re-interpretall of O’Brien’s work (and some of her little-documented life), and to suggest a number of newapproaches to queer and activist literature,

www.laguncara.com [email protected]

subjectivity in fiction, historical novels, postcolonialanalysis, canonical authors, intermediality, life-writing, and modernism. The book investigates indetail the important connections of Kate O’Brienwith the Basque Country, where she lived for aformative period in the 1920s. Kate O’Brien andthe Fiction of Identity was researchedconscientiously but it is designed to carry thereader away... almost like a novel.

irish/basque community network (ibcon) spring/summer ... · irish/basque community network (ibcon)...

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