The Irish Piece of the Pie

Cecelia Ivey

HR: Herrick, Annotated Bibliography, Class and its discussions and materials, Instructor, Purdue OWL, Sources of my Annotated Bibliography, dictionary.com for a word in a source, Major Garriott and our conference, Writing Center, Mrs. Parsons, help used for my annotated bibliography and project, Assignment, Syllabus, Writing Center’s Outline Model, Cadet John Philbeck as my peer reviewer, parts of sources for citation or classification of type of source

Cecelia E. Ivey

 

Introduction: How Ireland Fits Into the Conversation

Delving into the study of Irish rhetoric will help bring to light the aspects of another culture outside of the West. The study of Ireland can show how the rhetoric of Ireland and the West intertwined despite their differences. It can help flesh out the study of the Western tradition by adding the points that Ireland brings.

In Johnson-Sheehan’s book on rhetoric outside the Western realm, some similarities that occur between Irish rhetoric and the Western tradition are that both place a lot of emphasis on the spoken word and the strength it has (Johnson-Sheehan 267). Johnson-Sheehan also shows another similarity with the main players of Irish rhetoric, which were the Druids, being alike to those of Greece, being the Sophists (267). (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 242,233).  Where Ireland differs is they believed a lot of the strength created by the spoken word is that of magic (Johnson-Sheehan 267). One important difference is that persuasion is not as major for the Irish as it is for the West (Johnson-Sheehan 272-273). Another similarity is looking at the type of rhetoric or how it changed based on a time period such as the Greeks looking at Plato and then how rhetoric changed with the coming of Aristotle, then the Irish looking at the four categories they emphasize that are Mythological, Ultonian, Ossianic, and Historical that are all in different time frames (Johnson-Sheehan 268-269)(Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 235-238)(Joyce 535-538).  Irish rhetoric has its main points of loyalty, generosity, courage, and beauty (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 237-238). Also, in Irish rhetoric they reiterate points until they become major beliefs meaning that since the culture relied on spoken word rhetoric was used to restate cultural traditions so the Irish were familiar with them and hostility could be used if agreements on practices could not be met (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 238,241)(Johnson-Sheehan 272-273).

As a student and intellect, a person will be more knowledgeable and able to argue a better point if more of the data is available on differing types of rhetoric. It is hard to speak of rhetoric when only the Western part of the practice is known. Learning about Irish rhetoric and Ireland itself will help to expand that scope of knowledge to be more encompassing. The more cultures added the better for those learning to increase their knowledge and ability to provide an answer if they were presented with the major question: what is rhetoric?

 

History and Culture:

The Origins

The study of the history and culture of Ireland is fascinating and helps to situate their style of rhetoric. Due to a landscape of mountains and waterways Ireland is a sectioned culture in terms of where people live and interact (Bottigheimer 2-5). The original people came to Ireland in 6800 BCE (Bottigheimer 7).

The Celts Arrive

After the original people of Ireland came, the Celts around the fifth and sixth centuries came to Ireland (Bottigheimer 9-10)(Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 234-235). With the Celts came their religion of Drudism that included tales, mystical ways, and lyrical practices, but due to lack of records their precise practices are difficult to say (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 235). It is obvious, though, they put a lot of value in poetry, music, and stories as means of religion and magic (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 235). This knowledge ties into the way the rhetoric of Ireland includes poetry and magic (Johnson-Sheehan 267).

The Vikings Step Ashore

After the Celts were the Vikings who laid siege on the monasteries of Ireland for their fortune (Bottigheimer 48-50). The Vikings did eventually assimilate (Bottigheimer 50). The Vikings also gave the Irish a merchant aspect to their lives (Bottigheimer 50). Where they put up shop is where a lot of Ireland’s port cities are today (Bottigheimer 50). The Viking presence effected rhetoric by adding the hostile attacks to the Irish literature collection because some clergy were able to record the happenings of hostility (Bottigheimer 49).

Enter the Normans

Following the Vikings were the Normans who got control while Ireland was in a hierarchal upheaval as kings struggled for power (Bottigheimer 53). One of the Irish kings known as Dermot even asked for English help, but they were not intrigued (Bottigheimer 53). The Normans, on the other hand, took the bait and one became ruler after Dermot passed away (Bottigheimer 53-54). This Norman power panicked England who did not care at first, and the Normans formed a link with England which a lot of Ireland accepted in hopes of checking Norman power (Bottigheimer 54-56). These interactions proved the Norman and English settling of Ireland to differ than those before because they could establish a stronger hold on Ireland, but wars of power continued, and eventually through letting Irish holdings get stolen, faith in England was lost within the Irish hearts (Bottigheimer 55-56). English power began to fall in the 1200s (Bottigheimer 58). Even through all of these invasions Ireland was still hard to take complete control of due to it being a political mix and each piece of Ireland was its own entity (Bottigheimer 58). The Scots showed this difficulty of control as well when they entered in a time of power with Edward Bruce as the leader, but they did not last (Bottigheimer 59-60).

Example of Ireland Presenting a Change

Another point to put forth is that one of the reasons Ireland is seen as outside of the Western tradition is that it was so different from other cultures such as England. This can be seen in the legal system of Ireland which is a major point in history and culture of an area (Hand 292) Through looking at and writing about the Irish legal system, rhetoric can be seen as different from a culture like the that of English (Hand 291-293).

Discussion of Religion

Religion is another major point that needs to be addressed in the history and culture of Ireland. While the impact of Christianity came to England but left as the Romans that brought it, there is a different tale in Ireland (Bottigheimer 17-18).  To save Christianity in Ireland, there was Saint Patrick who returned to Ireland, where he got held captive previously, to bring Christianity in the fifth century and he brought it with more of a Mediterranean versus Roman flare (Bottigheimer 18). Pagan tones did still stay in Ireland for a while and Patrick’s effects were only in the north, so it was not a total transformation to Christianity (Bottigheimer 19). Eventually bishops ruled their separate pieces of Ireland (Bottigheimer 20). A life with monasteries grew in Ireland because of how rural Ireland was and there are still physical remnants of these holy places (Bottigheimer 20-22). Monasteries were places or art and education (Bottigheimer 25-30). Knowing the history helps someone studying rhetoric to see why Irish rhetoric is influenced the way because the history and the way things happen can influence rhetoric. This can be seen in the stories of the Viking attacks (Bottigheimer 49).

The Irish Way of Life

The Irish are interested in romantics and imagination (O’ Faolain 3-4). This imaginative flare even stays through influences such as Christianity that actually help build it (O’ Faolain 9-10). To tell the story of the Irish, one can say they were fond of fishing and hunting (Joyce 27). The Irish were keen on taking in strangers as they passed by on their journeys into their wooden, circular homes (Joyce 29). The society of Ireland was split into a tribal system with a head king for all the society, but that had checks and balances (Joyce 29). The kings and tribes had military regiments along with them (Joyce 83, 91). The people of Ireland would have public events in the rural settings to play and have fun (Joyce 30). At these events the Irish showed their sense of fashion with wild colors (Joyce 30-31). When not at these social outings the Irish could be quite hostile to each other (Joyce 31). For education, the Irish learned in the openness of the country and had education for occupations and art (Joyce 32-34). Law and the people known as brehons who held legal power were major in Ireland (Joyce 168-169). Another major part of Irish culture is art which includes illumination of literature, metal sculpting, stone work, and building (Joyce 544). All these pieces of culture show the Irish character and that helps to showcase why their rhetoric is developed to fit their character.

Primary Source Analysis

The first primary source is The Táin. It discusses tales of a queen jealous of her husband’s bull and wishes to take it (The Táin xi). The warrior called Cú Chulainn is the only force to stop the incoming attack (The Táin xi). Fer Daid tries to eventually fight his good friend Cú Chulainn but is slain (The Táin xi). The reason this source is critical is because through these tales the main rhetorical points that Ireland has are emphasized. For example, the warrior, Cú Chulainn, is utilized as a symbol of the moral qualities Irish rhetoric aims to bestow upon people like courage and loyalty, and there is the other fighter called Fer Diad to show the poor human qualities and breaks loyalty (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 238)(The Táin xi, 146-147).  This stray from righteousness is in turn punished (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 238)(The Táin xi, 146-147). Without the Irish having the culture they do, this work would not be what it is today. It would not have the same fictional and entertaining aspects without the culture or Ireland influencing the rhetoric and how the Irish people write and communicate (Joyce 538).

The next primary source is a story called “Hudden and Dudden and Donald O’Neary”. This tale is a story of Hudden and Dudden plotting against the poverty-stricken Donald O’Neary with his single cow (“Hudden” 494). They wanted his tiny piece of land (“Hudden” 494). This tale is an example of a popular way of using rhetoric in Ireland (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 235). The words are very flowing and bouncy and relate to the Irish culture and their lyrical practices (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 235).

Both of the primary sources give excellent showcases of how the Irish used rhetoric and how their culture influenced why their rhetoric appears as it does. Such as, “Hudden and Dudden and Donald O’Neary” is musical, this tone stems from the culture of Ireland (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 235). The Táin is a perfect example of the major character traits that the Irish expect of people and shows why this primary source fits in the rhetorical conversation (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 238)(The Táin xi, 146-147).

Conclusion

This chapter brings in the aspects of rhetoric that are contributed by the Irish people. The Irish have their own unique contributions to rhetoric that differ from the Western world, but some similarities are also present. These are discussed within this chapter. Being able to understand as many different rhetorical traditions as possible will help to decolonize the study of rhetoric and supply students or practitioners of rhetoric with more knowledge that can only help them to discuss rhetoric.

Since the rhetoric of Ireland is discussed, it makes sense that this chapter also supply the history and culture of the Irish as well as primary sources. Analyzing the history and culture of a group of people and their writing makes their rhetoric more understandable. The rhetoric grows out of the history and culture and of the Irish people. One cannot go without the other.

 

Keywords

• Saint Patrick: he came to Ireland after being captive there, but when he returned he brought Christianity with a Mediterranean instead of Roman outlook (Bottigheimer 18).
• The Táin: a famous primary source that showcases the use of the Irish themes and that punishment follows when they are broken (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 238)(The Táin xi, 146-147).
• Loyalty: a major Irish theme encouraged through rhetoric (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 237-238).
• Generosity: a major Irish theme encouraged through rhetoric (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 237-238).
• Courage: a major Irish theme encouraged through rhetoric (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 237-238).
• Beauty: a major Irish theme encouraged through rhetoric (Johnson-Sheehan and Lynch 237-238).

Study Material:

• How was the rhetoric that Saint Patrick brought to Ireland different from Western rhetoric?
• How was the Norman interaction with Ireland different than those before who came into Ireland?
• Why did a monastic religion work for the Irish people?
• How did Irish people interact with one another?
• List some key components of Irish rhetoric.
• In what ways is Irish rhetoric like previously studied Western rhetoric?