A Mirror to Ireland: Máirtín Ó Cadhain’s Articles about Scotland

Abstract

: In the last twenty lines of what is arguably Ó Cadhain’s most important literary manifesto, Páipéir Bhána agus Páipéir Bhreaca (1969), one may be surprised to find two references to Scotland, pointing to Scottish Gaelic as well as Scots. This article uses archival and newspaper sources in order to explore Ó Cadhain’s manifold relationship to Scotland. Ó Cadhain’s interest in Scotland can be seen in the context of the author’s complex positioning of himself as an international writer, while always remaining loyal to the Irish language and his native Gaeltacht. An outreach to literatures in other small languages, especially of the Celtic branch, was an integral part of this strategy. The essay concentrates principally on a series of twenty-four articles, mostly in Irish, which Ó Cadhain published in the Irish Times in 1953 and 1954. In these, he gives an account of the 1953 Jubilee Mòd in Oban and informs the readers about the history and prospects of Scottish Gaelic, as well as the Scottish struggle for autonomy within the UK. Ó Cadhain draws multiple comparisons with the situation in Ireland, showcases his knowledge of Scottish Gaelic song and modern literature, and displays a keen sense of paradox as well as his characteristic wit and humour.