Recently, I have been taken aback by our guest speakers with direct experiences of revolutionary Ireland. Eamon McCann and Geoff Brown in particular showed a youthful exuberance and tenacity that I did not expect. I expected a drawn-out historical narrative told by a few tired old men, but to them, their movement was still happening, and they showed such a passion and exuberance for their beliefs and past actions that I was genuinely surprised.
In War and an Irish Town, McCann documents many violent events and their surrounding circumstances. What struck me the most about this writing, however, occurs in the dedication of the writing. McCann lists over 50 people who were presumably killed in the events which he spoke about in the reading. It is a very somber reading accompanied by a very somber dedication, which led me to think that McCann’s presentation would be equally sullen.
I was surprised by his excitement and energy. This was not a man broken by past experiences or loss, though it was clear that they weighed heavily on his mind. McCann was the embodiment of a man who was dedicated to Irish freedom and peace, even to the present day, in which he remains a devout socialist. His demeanor compared with the material of the text showed him as a very strong and committed person.
I too found myself surprised at McCann’s exuberance when talking about the events. I was expecting a sort of reminiscent tone from him but came away surprised. I found him to be forward looking in a sense and it seemed that he had the same passion about issues today and that he did during the time of Bloody Sunday. Like you said, McCann truly embodies the fight and dedication to freedom which we’ve seen and read about. It was a very cool experience to get to listen to him speak first hand.