Blog Entry 4

             There is sneering here. There is jeering at the misfortunes of others. Is there anyone in this class that thinks he’s perfect? Raise your hands.

             There are no hands.

             Is there anyone in this class that comes from a rich family with money galore to spend on shoes? Raise your hands.

             There are no hands.

             He says, There are boys here who have to mend their shoes whatever way they can. There are boys in this class with no shoes at all. It’s not their fault and it’s no shame. Our Lord had no shoes. He died shoeless.

It’s a shock to everyone when he says, the Battle of Kinsale in sixteen nought one was the saddest moment in Irish history, a close battle with cruelty and atrocities on both sides.

             Cruelty on both sides? The Irish side? How could that be? All the other masters told us the Irish always fought nobly, they always fought the fair fight. He recites and makes us remember,

They went forth to battle, but they always fell,

Their eyes were fixed above the sullen shields.

Nobly they fought and bravely, but not well,

And sank heart-wounded by a subtle spell.

             If they lost it was because of traitors and informers. But I want to know about these Irish atrocities.

             Sir, did the Irish commit atrocities at the Battle of Kinsale?

             They did indeed. It is recorded that they killed prisoners but they were no better nor worse than the English.

             I think my father is like the Holy Trinity with three people in him, the one in the morning with the paper, the one at night with the stories and prayers, and then the one who does the bad thing and comes home with the smell of whiskey and wants us to die for Ireland.