Wednesday 31 October 2012

Failure of Certificate of Irish Heritage

Another one from the Irish Times, this time on the Certificate of Irish Heritage (www.heritagecertificate.com). Jennifer O' Connell's article is at www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2012/1031/1224325931740.html and looks at what she considers to be an embarrassment, with only 1042 people applying for a certificate in its first year - or 0.00167 per cent of Ireland's 60 million diaspora. I can only agree, and I had to laugh at the caption under the photo of a certificate with the piece: "This hereby certifies that the bearer is not British" :)

The writer takes to the theme about there being nothing special about "being Irish", and cites the failure of the certificate as evidence that no-one around the world is interested - however, she also applies this to the prospects for The Gathering event next year (www.thegatheringireland.com). On that I would perhaps part ways with her analysis. A worthless bit of paper simply designed to cynically raise money by exploiting a diaspora is not quite the same thing as organising a national hooley to re-establish connections with that diaspora. So on the Certificate of Irish Heritage, I've always had my thumbs down on that one - but on The Gathering, I'm going to wish that one the best of luck!

Chris

Scotland 1750-1850 - 5 weeks online Pharos course, £45.99, taught by Chris Paton from 2 NOV 2012 - see www.pharostutors.com
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

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