#irish identity

[blueheartbookclub]

Dubliners: A Captivating Exploration of Ordinary Lives

James Joyce's "Dubliners" is a collection of short stories that offers readers a poignant and vivid portrait of life in early 20th-century Dublin. Published in 1914, this seminal work of modernist literature is renowned for its richly detailed character studies, evocative prose, and incisive exploration of the human condition.

At the heart of "Dubliners" is Joyce's keen observation of the everyday lives of the people of Dublin, capturing the hopes, dreams, and disappointments of ordinary individuals with precision and empathy. From the working-class neighborhoods to the middle-class suburbs, Joyce paints a multifaceted picture of Dublin society, revealing the complexities and contradictions that lie beneath its surface.

One of the most striking aspects of "Dubliners" is Joyce's mastery of the short story form, as he skillfully crafts each narrative with economy and precision. From the atmospheric opening story, "The Sisters," to the haunting conclusion of "The Dead," Joyce's stories are united by a common theme of epiphany, as characters grapple with moments of revelation and self-realization that illuminate the hidden truths of their lives.

Moreover, "Dubliners" is celebrated for its richly drawn characters, who range from the disillusioned alcoholic in "Counterparts" to the young boy experiencing his first crush in "Araby." Through his vividly depicted characters and their inner lives, Joyce offers readers a window into the social, cultural, and psychological forces that shape their experiences and interactions.

In addition to its exploration of individual lives, "Dubliners" also serves as a poignant meditation on the broader themes of Irish identity, colonialism, and the search for meaning in a changing world. Joyce's portrayal of Dublin as a city caught between tradition and modernity reflects the broader tensions of Irish society in the early 20th century, as it grapples with its colonial past and uncertain future.

In conclusion, "Dubliners" by James Joyce is a timeless masterpiece of modernist literature that continues to captivate readers with its vivid depiction of Dublin life, richly drawn characters, and profound exploration of the human condition. Through its evocative prose and incisive insights, "Dubliners" offers readers a deeply moving and thought-provoking journey into the heart of Dublin and the lives of its inhabitants. With its enduring relevance and universal appeal, "Dubliners" remains a testament to the enduring power of Joyce's vision and storytelling prowess.

James Joyce's "Dubliners" is available in Amazon in paperback 15.99$ and hardcover 22.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 312

Language: English

Rating: 9/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[blueheartbooks]

Dubliners: A Captivating Exploration of Ordinary Lives

James Joyce's "Dubliners" is a collection of short stories that offers readers a poignant and vivid portrait of life in early 20th-century Dublin. Published in 1914, this seminal work of modernist literature is renowned for its richly detailed character studies, evocative prose, and incisive exploration of the human condition.

At the heart of "Dubliners" is Joyce's keen observation of the everyday lives of the people of Dublin, capturing the hopes, dreams, and disappointments of ordinary individuals with precision and empathy. From the working-class neighborhoods to the middle-class suburbs, Joyce paints a multifaceted picture of Dublin society, revealing the complexities and contradictions that lie beneath its surface.

One of the most striking aspects of "Dubliners" is Joyce's mastery of the short story form, as he skillfully crafts each narrative with economy and precision. From the atmospheric opening story, "The Sisters," to the haunting conclusion of "The Dead," Joyce's stories are united by a common theme of epiphany, as characters grapple with moments of revelation and self-realization that illuminate the hidden truths of their lives.

Moreover, "Dubliners" is celebrated for its richly drawn characters, who range from the disillusioned alcoholic in "Counterparts" to the young boy experiencing his first crush in "Araby." Through his vividly depicted characters and their inner lives, Joyce offers readers a window into the social, cultural, and psychological forces that shape their experiences and interactions.

In addition to its exploration of individual lives, "Dubliners" also serves as a poignant meditation on the broader themes of Irish identity, colonialism, and the search for meaning in a changing world. Joyce's portrayal of Dublin as a city caught between tradition and modernity reflects the broader tensions of Irish society in the early 20th century, as it grapples with its colonial past and uncertain future.

In conclusion, "Dubliners" by James Joyce is a timeless masterpiece of modernist literature that continues to captivate readers with its vivid depiction of Dublin life, richly drawn characters, and profound exploration of the human condition. Through its evocative prose and incisive insights, "Dubliners" offers readers a deeply moving and thought-provoking journey into the heart of Dublin and the lives of its inhabitants. With its enduring relevance and universal appeal, "Dubliners" remains a testament to the enduring power of Joyce's vision and storytelling prowess.

James Joyce's "Dubliners" is available in Amazon in paperback 15.99$ and hardcover 22.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 312

Language: English

Rating: 9/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[t0bey]

finally got around to designing an idv self insert for myself

[marzipanandminutiae]

why are you determined to make this joke work sir

middle-aged male tourist at the museum, during a discussion about the cafe nearby and how I recommend their hot chocolate: what's your last name?

me, thinking he's having trouble reading my name tag: oh, it's Surname

him: is that Irish?

me: well, it can be short for Longer Irish Name Containing Surname, but for my family it's English from-

him: if you were Irish, we'd know what was in that hot chocolate! haha! ;)

me: ...ah. well, I have to go relieve my colleague upstairs now, so enjoy the rest of your day!

him, still in tones of high jocularity: what about your boss? I bet he's Irish! what's his last name?

me: ooookay have a nice day bye!

[auxxrat]

also the race switching of the clones and jango continues to make me unbelievably mad.

every race/ethnicity BUT Māori.

“But! That culture doesn’t exist in star wars!!” You wouldn’t be saying this about Din, Finn, Poe, literally any POC character. When I’m telling you I see every race/ethnicity but Tem’s… I dont even care if its a hc at this point bc you wouldn’t hc black characters or asian characters to be ANYTHING BUT WHAT THEY ARE.

“Shouldn’t been ****** race/ethnicity” nope they are already Māori! Stop trying!

[llovelymoonn]

donal ryan the queen of dirt island

kofi

[fictionadventurer]

One day, I will wake up and the Wiggles version of "The Rattlin' Bog" will not be in my head.

[g00seg1raffe]

A (comparatively) Brief Thought about Steve Harrington's Names

Lucky Stevie has full names in three different languages and they're all equally incriminating in different ways!

For context: Steve's parents meet just as the summer of '66 is ending, in a perfectly legitimate bar with absolutely no connection to organised crime in Chicago. They introduce themselves as Christopher (call me Chris, Christopher is shite) Harrington and Anita (but you, bello, can call me Tina) Martino. They are both lying.

See, America is it's own little world. Founded by desperate refugees and religious extremists, the USA is the New York of the western world - the perfect place to disappear, because no matter your sins, there's always someone weirder. And in this totally not shady bar in Chicago, these two strangers have a lot of sins.

Mr. Ciarán Ótis Marcin Ó'hArrachtáin is what some might call a terrorist. Those 'some' are, of course, all eejits who seem to be fecking delirah with the Brits treating the Irish Free State as a colony. But Ótis and Martyna didn't raise a spineless dosser, not on tales of the shite they saw in Nazi Poland. Ciarán wants to be just like his mama, so does the only thing he can at sweet sixteen and joins the IRA. It was a grand old time - until some spanner decided to start the boarder campaign, make some things go boom, then it all goes arseways and suddenly he's a wanted man. Now he's legged it all the way out to this bar in Chicago where he can find some mostly-legal work, set himself up as someone who doesn't need to check over his shoulder every five seconds - and maybe he can take a chance on this absolute ride of an Italian who's just walked in, Jaysus -

Sig.na Alessia Stefania "Pieterina" Serafini has made a name for herself as a mafiosa. Beloved, wild, ruthless granddaughter of Don Alessio - caporegime since nineteen and well on her way to consigliere - and, right now, in molti problemi with la Cosa Nostra. So much problemi that she's been effectively smuggled into the US, like that goddamn heroin shipment that started all these problemi... ah well. She just needs to lie low for a bit (a decade) with her American cousins on the less than legal side of Chicago before she can return to her cosca and the people she actually trusts not to stab her the moment she turns her back - and maybe she can have some fun with this bello, bello Irishman who's looking her way, dannazione -

So. Discussing the evolution Mr and Mrs Harrington's relationship is gonna have to wait (though I'd love to hear from you guys) - the important thing here is the family history.

================================================

Tina's side: Alessia Stefania "Pietrina" Serafini.

Tina's father is Vincenzo Serafini and her grandfather is Alessio Serafini. Her first name is the feminine of her paternal grandfather's name. Steve's middle names are also from them.

(In case it wasn't obvious, the Serafini family are heavily involved in the Italian mafia - potentially involved in the Ciaculli massacre in '63 - and also have ties to the American mafia.)

Tina's mother is Pietra Tedesco and her grandmother is Stefania Tedesco. Her middle name - Stefania - and her son's first name - Stefano - are from her maternal grandmother. "Pietrina" is a diminutive nickname for Pietra - they're saying she's just like her mother, and since they figured this would be easy and natural enough for Steve to remember, his agreed Italian 'cover' surname is Di Pietro.

(Pietra is the feminine of her father's Petri Tedesco - which is itself the new name chosen by the German runaway Peter Thälmann. No relation to German Communist Party Leader Ernst Thälman, no sir, nothing to see here.)

So: Stefano Alessio Vincenzo Serafini - or, when he doesn't want to advertise the mafia part - Stefano Di Pietro.

Chris' side: Ciarán Ótis Marcin Ó'hArrachtáin.

Chris' father is Ótis Ó'hArrachtáin, and his paternal grandparents Steafán and Keira Ó'hArrachtáin. He gets his first name from the masculine of his grandmother's name, his middle name from his father, and gave Steve his grandfather's name.

(Steafán and Keira worked their asses off their whole life to put their kids through school, ennabling Ótis to work at the Irish embassy in Poland, where he managed to smuggle a handful of refugees past the Nazis to Britain, of which his future wife, Hannia Marcinkiewicz, was one.)

Chris' mother is Anita Marcinkiewicz. He gets his middle name from her surname. Steve gets his Irish 'cover' surname from that.

(Anita and her son are very similar as teenagers and young adults - the same heady cocktail of jaded rage and a naïve sense of justice, motivating spiky teens in parallel shitty situations to commit near-suicidal acts of heroism, with similar results. Just what did Anita do? Nothing you can prove, of course...)

(Yes, Anita Marcinkiewicz and Anita Martino - a wild coincidence that kicks of conversation for our young lovers in Chicago. Not in any way manipulated by an omnipotent fangirl who wants her OCs to have something neat to make slightly awkward but unexpectedly wholesome small talk about over a Guinness and a Negroni in a bar in Chicago). (This is why Chris calls his wife Tina all the time when anyone else would get shot if she's feeling anything less than saccharine.)

So: Steofán Ciarán Ótis Ó'hArrachtáin - or, when he'd rather avoid any connection to the wanted terrorist - Steofán Ó Máirtín.

================================================

Of course, as half Irish and half Italian - or, well, 1/8 German, 2/8 Polish, 2/8 Irish and 3/8 Italian but who's counting. Aside from me -

The point is, he's Catholic as fuck. He can be non-practicing and still Catholic (bc fuckboi), he can lose his faith and still be Catholic (bc interdimensional hell monsters), he can be an atheist (bc Irish) and still be Catholic, ok - he is Italian and Irish, there's no cure.

So, yeah, he's definitely been christened. And sure, you can old give any old name to the government (fuck them anyways) as long as it suits your purposes. But your christening name is the one that God knows you by, okay, you don't want to lie to the priest and end up with the wrong name tag when you get to heaven (or if, I guess).

What I'm saying is the paperwork says Steven Otis Harrington, but some poor Father/Reverendo gets hit with Stefano Stiofán Alessio Ciarán Vincenzo Ótis Serafini Ó'hArrachtáin. Good fucking luck!

[soupexpertt]

I personally don't care about the upcoming Harry Potter series/reboot but casting Cillian Murphy as lord Voldemort is an interesting choice. They will probably tell him to speak "normal" british english although he is insanely good at mimicking various accents/dialects/speech patterns.

When I first read about the casting my brain immediately went "the boy who lived has come to die" in Thomas Shelby's brummie dialect and the thought has been haunting me since then.

[northern-passage]

I came across the character Branwen* in my most recent play-through and was curious if she's supposed to be Inuit or not? It was just a bit unclear since she has a chin-stripe tattoo, a Welsh name, and comes from Gael (which I'm under the impression is supposed to be Norse inspired?) Neither the Welsh/Celts or Norse had tattoos like these and the imagery of such comes from the appropriation of Inuit kakiniit. It's unfortunately common, especially in the fantasy genre, think Yasha from Critical Role, and I wouldn't really blame you for not yet knowing better. Misguided or not, it's very damaging since these tattoos are a closed practice, and Inuit have asked us not to use them for non-indigenous characters. Some other cultures have similar tattoos, but these are specifically what are appropriated from in the "Norse aesthetic".

This could be a great opportunity to represent a community that's regularly misrepresentationed and appropriated from in the genre, though! I don't believe you had any ill intentions, if this is a mistake you've made, since you've done really well about a lot of other things so far.

Also, I've done a lot of research on the topic for my own world building and I can try to help if you have any questions!

Here's a list of Inuk creators and artists from my own following (on TikTok specifically):

kadlun

willow.allen

notdayle

shinanova

And fairy.gothparent (not indigenous) has some really educational content on the subject also!

I'm sorry I've misread or misinterpreted anything, and I hope none of this came off as aggressive! I'm just genuinely curious and want to help others do better!

hi :-) no worries, you are not aggressive at all. Branwen is not meant to be Inuit, nor is she meant to be Welsh or Norse. Gael and Adrania are just Fantasy Lands with their own lore & culture-- but with that being said, i am fully aware that the setting for TNP is very much giving medieval Europe, hahahaha. regardless, when i choose names they are mainly just because i like them, so i wouldn't put too much stock in them when reading.

same thing when i designed Branwen, the tattoo was mostly for the aesthetic and because i liked it. i was aware of a few different types of indigenous tattoos (like the Māori tāmoko as well as the Inuit kakiniit) at the time i chose the thick, solid line because i was purposefully trying to avoid conflating it directly with those indigenous tattoos. you're the first person to point this out to me and i appreciate it and it has made me reevaluate my decision to give her such a distinct tattoo. i wanted tattoos to be a big part of Gaelish culture & planned for them to be made with heavy lines & geometry, but in the end a lot of the designs are all over the place (Merry's are way more modern due to basing some of the designs around nautical/sailor tattoos with only a few geometric designs, while Lea's are strictly geometric runes meant for their alchemy)

i absolutely want to avoid misrepresenting these tattoos, especially since it was never my intention for this character to be interpreted as a part of any of the mentioned indigenous groups. this is a good reminder for myself that my work does not exist in a vacuum and regardless of my intentions, the names i choose & the designs i make still reflect my own personal biases and have implications outside of my story.

i appreciate you messaging me and sharing resources. and i always want to encourage people to do so! especially because in my worldbuilding for Gael and Adrania i am pulling inspiration from a lot of different places and a lot of other fantasy media. i've always intended for Adrania to be a "melting pot," with a lot of different influences as in-game cultures converge around their ports & trade routes, but that can also lead to me unintentionally harming real world groups & cultures in my interpretations. as much as i want to "build from scratch" it's just not possible, i will always be influenced by the society i live in, hence me including the tattoo to begin with because you're right, i have seen similar designs in other fantasy media & just didn't think much about it.

going forward i'll most likely just remove that tattoo from Branwen's design, and maybe give her a neck tattoo instead 🤔 just something different to distinguish it from those indigenous designs.

[grecoromanyaoi]

this especially goes for americans but just bc back home you're a hyphenated american doesn't mean us who stayed where we are consider you american first and foremost, before whatever's before the hyphen

also when will ppl understand that diaspora identities r inherently different than. idk whats the opposite of diaspora is. local? identities. like obv a. idfk. 6th gen irish-american is gonna have a different ethnic n cultural identity n experiences w being irish than irish ppl in ireland lol

[websriot]

think it's important to mention that my hobes is actually half irish on his mum's side <3 their mum, nancy, is from dublin & his dad is from camden

[pixiestein]

i’ve really been hoping that g3 Venus would be Indigenous bc venus flytraps the actual plant are exclusively indigenous to coastal areas in north & south carolina usa so it would make sense & be cool to see venus be part of an Indigenous nation in the same area. it’s looking like in this gen she’s going to be black/black coded but afroindigenous ppl exist so maybe i’m still holding out hope lmao

[werewolfetone]

What if I. turned into an oyster

[licnheartedd]

Hey was just wondering as a gaeilgeoir did you go to a gaelschoil or did you grow up in a Gaeltacht region?

i actually grew up in a very british area in the north of ireland, but i got really lucky because my secondary school taught irish language classes!! i’ve forgotten a lot of what i learned and i am very far from fluency, but i’m doing everything i can to relearn and improve my language skills

i know attitudes vary across the country, but a lot of communities that i’ve been lucky enough to talk to agree that gaeilgeoirí are anyone with any irish language skills, even if it’s just a few words, because a few words is all a lot of people will ever have unfortunately

i am proud of my broken irish and all of the work i’ve put into reconnecting with a part of myself that should’ve been mine from the start <3

[everysongineverykey]

i love you azura books i love you luz's nerdiness given prominence throughout the show i love you "luzura" i love you amity and luz bonding over a "cringe" book series i love you lumity azura/hecate cosplay i love you young queer couple cosplaying as a queer couple that really inspired them as kids and helped bring them together i love you beautiful tribute to the power of representation in media as shown via a latina girl adoring and being heavily influenced by a book series starring a latina witch who she can see herself in i love you varied and beautiful discussions of representation in a show with heaps and heaps of just that :')

in the same vein, i love you cosmic frontier i love you chief engineer o'bailey-hunter parallels i love you gus captain avery cosplay i love you gus helping hunter confront his identity as a grimwalker by introducing him to a series with a character he can see himself in i love you star trek deep space nine reference i love you black boy cosplaying as a black space captain i love you camila connecting with luz using her own nerdy childhood obsession i love you power of stories and, again, representation in media i love you the owl house's constant message that representation matters i love you i love you💙💙💙💙