Christopher Hitchens on Conor Cruise O'Brien

[Zanderzan1983]

so many negative comments about the wonderful writer conor cruise o'brien. hands up who has read one of his books? didnt think so

[sbreathnach100]

O'Brien also knew that when you put an issue on the table, the Irish were to last to rise any worthwhile analysis. The Irish don't do 'debates'; indeed, the don't do 'action', merely emotional reaction. That's why, I believe, he supported the Unionist and 'more' secular cause, , rather than wallow in imperialist guff about secular Britian coming from those most comitose to the threat of the Mediteranean Myth. CCO'B was not a Betagh; I think he came to dislike them...

[sbreathnach100]

Even defending the memory of a distinguished Irishman can still bring out the yelping dogs. The 'children of God' know how to be personal and vindictive like no one else -- and all from behind either a pulpit or a mask. The Irish character, as O' Brien well knew, was steeped in the worst aspects of the Christian conquest, an island that is still more monastic than liberal. And now that the Vatican has issued the Jesuits with computers, nothing escapes their vicious, poisonous pens.

[sbreathnach100]

I don't think that O'Brien was a very deep thinker: rather an informed journalist, who could talk authoritatively (and critically) on Edmund Burke or D. Hammersjold; but in Ireland, as in America, where the wise ones are as boring as Biblical cardboard and as predictable as prieshteens on a pulpit, anything he said made ahateful stir. He therefore belongs in the tradition of Adam 'Dubh' O' Toole (burned heretic), Alice Kyteler, Joyce, Toland, D Allen,Morgan (Dermot), Tommy Kiernan, etc, etc.

[sbreathnach100]

In Peter Lennon's film, 'The Rockie Road to Dublin' , or some such name, he courageously admists that the Irish on one Internaitonal occasion voted one way and the UN. It wasn't to the liking of the US. Then someone politely visited them -- some cardinal or other -- and they reversed in favour of what the US was voting for... Who else but the Cruiser in Irelaand would reveal such appalling biddability!

[sbreathnach100]

CCo'Brien could not see what Joyce saw. I think he saw something and for a while reared up against what he saw. For the family and perhaps the Gaelic side of things,he made some compromises; but in his heart he knew with Casement that the history of the Vatican in the Congo was as bad as it had been over a longer period in Irlland and generally around the world. He also knew that Ireland was a monstrous Holy Roman monolith made up of incurable religious Leprechauns-- all pretending to be secular

[ABEABE4evr]

CCOB,Reviled more in death than in life.

[RebelAvenger6]

I like Hitchens work but hes wrong about O Brien,he plaigarised many other writers.

[padraic2001eire]

@RebelAvenger6 Really? Who did he plagiarise?

[Borgia]

 If Conor Cruise 'Brien was an imperialist then what do you call IRA terrorists who had an emotional investment in the Soviet Union? Were they not apologists for imperialism? Not much joined up thinking by 'republicans' here.

[sbreathnach100]

@Borgia Or, more importantly, how imperialistic are those who could write Unam Sanctam? Surely this piece of Papal nonsense is the fons et origo of totalitanianism? Most Catholics have never read it, which, of course, allows them to yawn on and on about imperialism. The Monolithic Irish Catholic mind was anathema to O'Brien.. He saw that the secular side of Unionism was, thereofore, the only game on craggy island. And he was right. What Irish men since Joyce have challenged the RCC?

[Borgia]

A great intellectual who was one of the first to see that the IRA were nothing more than anti-Irish, fascistic organisation who basically spent 30 years killing people. People like you should face up to that. The IRA killed more Catholics than any other organisation during the Troubles and wanted to bomb their way to a 32 County Communist Republic against the will of the people of Ireland.

[Dabhach1]

O'Brien was the biggest arsehole Ireland ever produced, and that's a tough set of laurals to claim. A foolish consistency may be the hobgoblin of little minds, but I can't think of a single major issue he didn't do a 180 on at some time or other, except for those he did a 360 on. With him, it was all about justifying each turnabout just so he could show how achingly clever he was. An utter waste of education.

[IrishFoodHunter]

Cruise o brien is one dirty cunt, he should be fucked out of Ireland, he doesnt belong here

[NaoiseMc]

he´s dead dickhead!!

[Guedingen]

'The Irish Mind' in the collection of essays Passion and Cunning is my personal favourite.

[padraic2001eire]

I actually picked up Passion and Cunning from my library today and read "The Irish Mind", after your recommendation. Agreed, and excellent essay. I don't always agree with O'Brien, but I have to say he is always interesting to read.

[RonanG]

Conor Cruise O Brien was like a lighthouse in a bog. Brilliant, but utterly useless!

[sbreathnach100]

@RonanG There isn't really much that one can do in a bog, save to shed some light on it for others. If they happen to regard such an exercise as useless, then all one can do is ask them to remove their blinkers, failing which one can only resort to the last resort -- that is, extinguish the light!

[RonanG]

@sbreathnach100 Let me put it another way. The Cruiser was about as useful to society as a cat-flap on a submarine.

[sbreathnach100]

@RonanG So, let me put it another way; take off your anonymous mask and give some weight to whatever it is you imagine you have to say about the Cruiser. Otherwise, enjoy the bog; but please don't invite the rest of us to sup with you...

[RonanG]

@sbreathnach100 Rather rich coming from one who's name appears nowhere on their rather uninteresting and un-viewed channel. Methinks that you consider yourself somewhat of an intellectual, however from the rather scattered and incoherent ramblings you have posted here, I would beg to differ. However, if reacting to posts that are a year old with gibberish is your thing, then who am I to stand in your way. Be my guest.

[mackers1916]

Conor Cruise-O'Brien's writings were nothing more than gutter journalism you'd expect from The Daily Mail or the Daily Express , he was a prat and an apologist just like Hitchens .

[padraic2001eire]

On another video of mine you said you admired Hitchens, now he's "a prat and an apologist"? And because you don't agree with someone, that therefore reduces their writing ability to the level of "gutter journalism" - sure, that's fair.

[crackwad420]

Fuck Conor Cruise O'Brien

he was an apologist for British imperialism

[ciananal]

conor cruise o brien was not knighted. One who is not a citizen of the british empire, or eligible to hold a british passport cannot become a knight of the realm, i.e. A member of the moost excellent order of the british empire. They can only become honourary members. Thats why Sir Bob Geldof isn't Sir at all. Ditto Terry Wogan, and certainly not the cruiser.

[padraic2001eire]

He said "90 this year", not "knighted this year".

[shakeystevensVIII]

...from one intellectual sell-out to another.

[padraic2001eire]

Presumably you are referring to Hitchens' support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Whether or not the invasion was right, if you read Hitchens on it or hear him speaking about it, there can be no doubt he backed it for moral reasons first and foremost, having witnessed the atrocities inflicted on Iraqis and Kurds by Hussein first hand. As for Cruise O'Brien, while you may disagree with his politics,Hitchens was praising his skills as a writer, something even his most fervent critics wouldn't deny.