The facts of the case are well enough known at this stage. There’s no need to rake over them again.
Interestingly, though, 60 years ago, another teacher was also in the news after being unceremoniously fired.
Copies of John McGahern’s second novel, The Dark, which dealt with child abuse, had been seized by Customs and Excise officers, and the work was subsequently banned by the Censorship of Publications Board.
McGahern, who worked at the time as a teacher in what is now Belgrove Boys’ National School in Clontarf, refused to take part in the protests which were organised on his book’s behalf, and was only moved to take action when the school’s principal said there would be some “difficulty” if he tried to return to his classroom.
McGahern decided “not to go quietly”. He describes in his 2005 book Memoir how he turned up at the school anyway.
The embarrassed principal read out a legal letter informing the novelist that he was “barred from entering the classroom".
Continue reading @ Sindo.
Interestingly, though, 60 years ago, another teacher was also in the news after being unceremoniously fired.
Copies of John McGahern’s second novel, The Dark, which dealt with child abuse, had been seized by Customs and Excise officers, and the work was subsequently banned by the Censorship of Publications Board.
McGahern, who worked at the time as a teacher in what is now Belgrove Boys’ National School in Clontarf, refused to take part in the protests which were organised on his book’s behalf, and was only moved to take action when the school’s principal said there would be some “difficulty” if he tried to return to his classroom.
McGahern decided “not to go quietly”. He describes in his 2005 book Memoir how he turned up at the school anyway.
The embarrassed principal read out a legal letter informing the novelist that he was “barred from entering the classroom".
Continue reading @ Sindo.
Another way of looking at it is history repeating itself but, instead of Sinead O'Connor, it's Roisin Murphy.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.spiked-online.com/2023/09/04/from-sinead-to-roisin-why-blasphemous-women-get-cancelled/
Cannot read the rest of the article as it is behind a paywall, Anthony.
ReplyDeleteTry this, Barry
DeleteThe hounding of Roisin Murphy, JK Rowling and others by the Identity zealots on Social media must be a scarring experience. But the whole panoply of Church and state was behind the silencing of John McGahern
ReplyDelete.
It is worse than social media Barry - as Eilis O'Hanlon points out her livelihood is under threat. This hounding of people because they hold a different opinion on these matters is culturally and intellectually regressive. The only way to enhance public understanding is to allow vigorous free inquiry.
DeleteAt least, in the days of Church/State censorship, the battle lines were clear and you knew who your allies were.
DeleteIn this era of post-identity and 24 hour social media, it's much more insidious and unforgiving.
It appears as if it is only one side trying to silence the other on these matters.
ReplyDelete