Tea at Trianon: The Irish - Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, March 3, 2024

The Irish - Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism

From The People's Network:

The book spans 1,400 years and six continents, showcasing the versatility and global influence of the Irish diaspora. From Abbé Edgeworth's presence at King Louis XVI's execution during the French Revolution to Margaretta Eagar's role as a governess to the daughters of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, and William Lamport's transformation into Don Guillén, a martyr for Mexican independence, Bunbury's work is a testament to the Irish spirit. These stories illustrate not only the widespread reach of the Irish abroad but also their significant impact on global events, shaping the course of history in ways that are both profound and lasting. (Read more.)

From The Nationalist:

HISTORIAN and author Turtle Bunbury has just released a paperback edition of his book, The Irish – Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism. It’s a look at how the Irish diaspora played a crucial part, over hundreds of years, in shaping the world today. They played a pivotal role in the foundation of the United States of America and its civil war, while an Irishman named Abbé Edgeworth was with King Louis XVI to hear his confession just before his execution during the French Revolution.

Another Irish person, Margaretta Eagar, was a governess to the daughters of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia; while William Lamport left his native Wexford to travel to Central America and became Don Guillén, a martyr for Mexican independence. Throughout the wide-reaching account of the book, Turtle explores the lives of those men and women who have left their mark on the world.

‘This fascinating assortment of case histories, spread across 1,400 years and six continents, is an impressive feat of research. The short biographies themselves are lively yet judicious, packed with vivid detail,’ said BBC History, when the book was released in hardback form in 2020. (Read more.)