Dialogus - Charles de Gaulle

I'm Irish

murphysea1@hotmail.com
Sir,

I did not know much about you before I read your acceptance letter, but I found it both interesting and funny.

However, I'm Irish (from Poblacht na hEirann, not from Northern Ireland !), and I wanted to know about your appreciation on my country and my people.

I hope you don't consider us as British, because we don't like them Brits too much either. I'd say we're not your typical English speaking country, what do you think ?

Did you ever visit Ireland ?

Slan,

Sean Murphy

Charles de Gaulle
Dear Mister Murphy,

Thank you very much for your letter. I really am delighted that my first question in English came from Ireland.

I was there just recently, as a matter of fact, for the first time in my life. For the first celebration of the "June 18th Call" after I left power, in 1969. I did not want to stay in France. I needed to get away to a place where I could be facing myself. Some place I did not know.

I chose Ireland, where a branch of my family, the McCartan, originates, and where I never had a chance to set foot. My grandmother on my father's side, Mrs. Maillot, furthermore published, among many other books, an acclaimed biography of Daniel O'Connell.

Hence my first visit abroad as a simple French citizen was to Ireland. Your country brought everything I needed. The quietness, the beauty, the forty shades of green (I counted even more of them, in the ring of Kerry alone!), a noble, proud, friendly People.

I was invited by President Eamon de Valera in Aras an Uachtarain, in Phoenix Park, for my last couple of nights in Ireland. Your president, who was fighting for Freedom in the GPO just while I was fighting the Verdun battle, in the cursed spring of 1916, impressed me with the force of his vision, despite the fact he had lost sight. As old soldiers, both having known the horrors of combat and the weight of hate, we understood each other and felt a strong sense of fraternity. The two of us drank (secretly!) to reunited Ireland.

On the 18th of June, the day I somewhat feared, sorrow was being felt amongst my aides and the staff of the French embassy in Dublin. For the first time indeed in over 20 years, I was not paying my tribute to those who fell to liberate France, on the anniversary day of my 1940 radio appeal, from London, for the resistance of the French to the Nazi invader. But the day went just fine for me. I keep a very fond memory of the Glendalough monastery, its round tower proudly and mysteriously erected, touching the sky.

My opinion is that Ireland and France share more than they think they do. They will find out, some day, in it's own good time.

Yours sincerely,

Charles de Gaulle

				I'm Irish




murphysea1@hotmail.com				Sir, I did not know much about you before I read your acceptance letter, but I found it both interesting and funny. However, I'm Irish (from Poblacht na hEirann, not from Northern Ireland !), and I wanted to know about your appreciation on my country and my people. I hope you don't consider us as British, because we don't like them Brits too much either. I'd say we're not your typical English speaking country, what do you think ? Did you ever visit Ireland ? Slan, Sean Murphy


Charles de Gaulle				Dear Mister Murphy, Thank you very much for your letter. I really am delighted that my first question in English came from Ireland. I was there just recently, as a matter of fact, for the first time in my life. For the first celebration of the "June 18th Call" after I left power, in 1969. I did not want to stay in France. I needed to get away to a place where I could be facing myself. Some place I did not know. I chose Ireland, where a branch of my family, the McCartan, originates, and where I never had a chance to set foot. My grandmother on my father's side, Mrs. Maillot, furthermore published, among many other books, an acclaimed biography of Daniel O'Connell. Hence my first visit abroad as a simple French citizen was to Ireland. Your country brought everything I needed. The quietness, the beauty, the forty shades of green (I counted even more of them, in the ring of Kerry alone!), a noble, proud, friendly People. I was invited by President Eamon de Valera in Aras an Uachtarain, in Phoenix Park, for my last couple of nights in Ireland. Your president, who was fighting for Freedom in the GPO just while I was fighting the Verdun battle, in the cursed spring of 1916, impressed me with the force of his vision, despite the fact he had lost sight. As old soldiers, both having known the horrors of combat and the weight of hate, we understood each other and felt a strong sense of fraternity. The two of us drank (secretly!) to reunited Ireland. On the 18th of June, the day I somewhat feared, sorrow was being felt amongst my aides and the staff of the French embassy in Dublin. For the first time indeed in over 20 years, I was not paying my tribute to those who fell to liberate France, on the anniversary day of my 1940 radio appeal, from London, for the resistance of the French to the Nazi invader. But the day went just fine for me. I keep a very fond memory of the Glendalough monastery, its round tower proudly and mysteriously erected, touching the sky. My opinion is that Ireland and France share more than they think they do. They will find out, some day, in it's own good time. Yours sincerely, Charles de Gaulle