33(U259.859)

—Nannan’s going too,

33rd cast. page 259, line 859.

 

—Nannan’s going too, says Joe. The league told him to ask a question tomorrow about the commissioner of police forbidding Irish games in the park. What do you think of that, citizen? The Sluagh na h-Eireann.

 

Episode 12. A nationalist, "The Citizen" and Joe Hynes and other drunks are talking at Barney Kiernan's.

 

Nanan is Nanetti's nickname. It is modeled after a real person, Joseph Nanetti. He was the master printer of the newspaper and a member of Parliament.

 

In 1904, Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, so an Irish elected representative was a member of the British House of Commons. The question here refers to a question in the British Parliament.

 

Around the end of the 19th century, nationalist movements against British rule began to flourish. In this context, various associations were formed.

 

“The league” is The Gaelic League. Gaelic is an ancient language spoken in Ireland. The Gaelic League was an organization to revive the Gaelic language and Gaelic culture.

 

Sluagh h-Eireann (Gaelic, The Legion of Ireland or The Irish Brigade in English) was formed to combine the Gaelic Athletic Association and the Gaelic League. The Gaelic Athletic Association was a patriotic organization that promoted the revival of ancient Irish sports and customs.

 

The Citizen is modeled after Michael Cusack, founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association.

 

Nanetti actually asked the question in the British Parliament in London on June 16, 1904 (the novel places the event on the following day, the 17th).

 

He stated, “While the game of polo is allowed to be played in that part of the Phenix Park known as the Nine Acres, the members of the Sluagh na h-Eireann are not allowed to play Gaelic games there” and asked, “Does the Commissioner of Police have that authority?" (Hansard).

 

The Chief Secretary for Ireland replied, " Owing to the damage to the turf and the annoyance caused to the general public by the playing of other games on the Nine Acres, a prohibition was issued on the advice of the Law Officers and has been enforced by the Courts. The park is a Royal Park, the property of the Crown, and the duties and powers of the Commissioners in respect to it are conferred by the Act".

 

The authorities may in fact have imposed such a ban in order to control the influence of nationalism.

 

The top of Ireland was the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the nominal representative of the British government, and the real authority was the Chief Secretary for Ireland, who was subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant.

 

There were also two police forces in Dublin at that time. The Dublin Metropolitan Police, an unarmed force, and Royal Irish Constabulary, an armed police force. The commissioner of police was probably the head of the former. The commissioner of police is mentioned in (U252.535). The Royal Irish Constabulary are mentioned in (U243.127)and (U254.656).

 

Irish Games are traditional sports played in Ireland, most notably Gaelic football and hurling.

Hurling Team

"Hurling Team, 1907-1908." by stmunchins is licensed under CC BY 2.0

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