The Revolution of the Meon Gaelach

The radical philosophy of Gaelicism will rise once again.

What is the Meon Gaelach?

‘Tá aisling ann, is eol dom í, Ag fiuchadh i mbroinn mo shamhlaíochta

Lasair gheal gan chorp mar ghaoith, Agus corp oiriúnach á impí aici’—The Pilgrim’s Song.

Irish culture is right now blowing one of the biggest opportunities in our people's history, but it can be salvaged. Partly due to our good standing with the cultural behemoth of the Pax Americana, partly from our own excellence, much of the Western world is genuinely looking to Ireland as a leader of world-culture. Whether it be in film (Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, etc), music (Kneecap, Fontaines DC, etc) or even in social causes (Palestine, a range of social issues, etc)—it appears Ireland is going through a cultural renaissance.

The one issue is the profound lack of clarity over what exactly this apparent “cultural” renaissance is, what it stands for and precisely who it is for. Certainly it does not represent cultural nationalism, that would be exclusionary. Nor is it a repeat of the vapid consumerist optimism of the Celtic Tiger period (Irish millennials are a homeless, economically infantilised population).

When Cillian Murphy says he is ‘proud to be Irish’, what exactly is he referring to? Is he proud of our Catholic heritage and mother and baby homes?—his most recent film shows he is most evidently not. Our legacy of independence and neutrality?—his glorification of American war crimes would suggest the same answer. Beyond petty ethnic chauvinism—there's no clear answer as to why Irish culture-power is so attractive right now.

To me, regardless of the true reasoning, this national obscurantism demonstrates a profound intellectual poverty. We as a nation have many times over been the standard-bearers of civilisation and the revitalisation of Western culture, but in each case we actually had a unique contribution to the world of human ideas and culture. If Ireland is to make use of this opportunity, and become a leader of cultural ideas once again, I believe it is essential we re-awaken the forgotten philosophy of Gaelicism.

Everything that the global world, and we ourselves, see of value in us, owes to our true selves as Gaels. To realise our potential as custodians of the wisdom of the world, we must become conscious of who we are and what our legacy is.

Irish re-awakenings past and present