Connections between Irish and Indian nationalism

[Brownfist]

Hello comrades,
I have been reading some recent interviews from comrades in India who fought during the independence struggle and they consistently mention how they drew inspiration from the Irish struggle for national liberation. Some mentioned that James Connolly was a great socialist (even Lenin said so), and others mentioned that during their tenure in England and France that they even studied the Irish movement. There is also a rumor that Udham Singh was supplied the weapon with which he killed General O'Dwyer, by the Irish nationalists. I was wondering whether anyone knows if there has been any academic work done on this, and the relationship between the two movements?

[PRC-UTE]

Interesting topic, I hope someone can supply some info.

My own grandmother admired the Indians and was very sympathetic to their efforts.

[RevolverNo9]

Now this is very interesting - in fairly unrelated reading I've periodically come across historical and social-anthropological comparisions between Ireland and India. It seems to be thought that there is some continuation as a result of the two cultures marking the extremes of Indo-European culture. (Unusually, for example, the Old Irish for king is the same as in sanskrit ('raj') and Latin ('rex') yet there was no Greek word or concept for this term.) Irish 'pre-state' communities (termed, contentiously, 'kingdoms') are often now thought to have more fruitful parallels in early tribal Indian formations, rather than in the neighbouring European society of the same time. One of the most interesting points I read was that the long, Irish cultural practice of petitioning through hunger (from the early Lives of the saints where druids and Christians would fast 'at' each-other and at God right up to the notorious hunger-strikes of the 20th Century Republican movement) has close points of comparision in Indian history...

[The Grey Blur]

The Indian flag is like an Irish tricolour turned sidewise!

Sorry, crap contribution. Although Lord Mountbatten who massacred many Indian rebels was actually killed in Ireland by the IRA. That's another connection...

[PRC-UTE]

Originally posted by [email protected] 08, 2007 01:50 am
Now this is very interesting - in fairly unrelated reading I've periodically come across historical and social-anthropological comparisions between Ireland and India. It seems to be thought that there is some continuation as a result of the two cultures marking the extremes of Indo-European culture. (Unusually, for example, the Old Irish for king is the same as in sanskrit ('raj') and Latin ('rex') yet there was no Greek word or concept for this term.) Irish 'pre-state' communities (termed, contentiously, 'kingdoms') are often now thought to have more fruitful parallels in early tribal Indian formations, rather than in the neighbouring European society of the same time. One of the most interesting points I read was that the long, Irish cultural practice of petitioning through hunger (from the early Lives of the saints where druids and Christians would fast 'at' each-other and at God right up to the notorious hunger-strikes of the 20th Century Republican movement) has close points of comparision in Indian history...
I've heard that, too, that linguistically there are similarities in Indo-European.

[Fawkes]

Although Lord Mountbatten who massacred many Indian rebels was actually killed in Ireland by the IRA. That's another connection...
Yeah, didn't they blow up his fancy yacht?

[Free Left]

Well, it is true that Ireland proved that a mass struggle against the British could yield results, and the Indian nationalists gained inspiration from that.



Yeah, didn't they blow up his fancy yacht?

Which one? <_<

[The Grey Blur]

Well, it is true that Ireland proved that a mass struggle against the British could yield results
From what I know from relatives down south and general histories the War of Independence was of a majority unpopular. Apart from in West Cork I don&#39;t think the IRA ever had much military success or major support.

You should also chekc out the Limerick Soviet - http://www.limericksoviet.com/


Originally posted by Free [email protected] 09, 2007 07:50 pm

Yeah, didn&#39;t they blow up his fancy yacht?

Which one? <_<
The one with the two kids and him in it

[rebelworker]

Thats interesting, I have an Iranian Comrade who claims that Irish and Persian Culture are very similar as well. There are shared musical instruments and some mythology, some claim that the Gaelic are an ancient lost Persian tribe.

Aperantly there is a movie about the links... Im gonna invite him out on St pats, though Ive found no linneiage going to Iranian new Years parties, though the food is great.
Well i guess some of the dancing is similar.

[Brownfist]

I was wondering whether comrades in Ireland, or who have followed the Irish struggle closely, could comment on how they perceive the "National and Colonial Theses" put forward by the Comintern, especially in reference to the contributions and additions made by the Indian communist M.N Roy. Also, was it common for Irish communists who lived in England to become members of the CPGB, like the Indian communists?