David Starr Jordan
American ichthyologist and educator (1851-1931)
Conor Cruise O’Brien
Irish politician, writer, historian and academic (1917-2008)
Donal Conor David Dermot Donat Cruise O’Brienfor the Dublin North-East constituency from 1969 to 1977, and a Member of the European Parliamentfrom January 1973 to March 1973.
His opinion of Britain’s role in Ireland subsequent to the partition of the island and the independence of the Free State in 1921 changed during the 1970s, in response to the outbreak of The Troubles.
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About the Conor Cruise O’Brien
Donal Conor David Dermot Donat Cruise O’Brienfor the Dublin North-East constituency from 1969 to 1977, and a Member of the European Parliamentfrom January 1973 to March 1973.
His opinion of Britain’s role in Ireland subsequent to the partition of the island and the independence of the Free State in 1921 changed during the 1970s, in response to the outbreak of The Troubles. He now saw opposing nationalist and unionist traditions as irreconcilable, and switched from a nationalist to a unionist view of Irish politics and history, and from opposition to support for partition. Cruise O’Brien’s outlook was radical and seldom orthodox. He summarised his position as intending “to administer an electric shock to the Irish psyche”.
Internationally, though a long-standing member of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement, he opposed in person the African National Congress’s academic boycott of the apartheid regime in South Africa. Views that he espoused during and after the 1970s contrasted with those he articulated during the 1950s and 1960s.
During his 1945-1961 career as a civil servant, Cruise O’Brien promoted the government’s anti-partition campaign. In the 1960s he was associated with the ‘New Left’ and opposition to US military involvement in Viet Nam. At the 1969 general election he was elected to Dail Eireann as a Labour Party TD for Dublin North-East. He served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, with responsibility for broadcasting, between 1973 and 1977 in a coalition government. During those years he was also the Labour Party’s Northern Ireland spokesman. Cruise O’Brien was later known primarily as an author and as an Irish Independent and Sunday Independent columnist.
5 Quotes by Conor Cruise O’Brien
- 1.
Nothing does more to activate Christian divisions than talk about Christian unity.
Conor Cruise O’BrienIrish politician, writer, historian and academic (1917-2008)
- 2.
The main thing that endears the United Nations to member governments, and so enables it to survive, is its proven capacity to fail, and to be seen to fail.
Conor Cruise O’BrienIrish politician, writer, historian and academic (1917-2008)
- 3.
Human nature doesn’t include all human beings. There are human beings who are indifferent to politics, religion, virtually anything.
Conor Cruise O’BrienIrish politician, writer, historian and academic (1917-2008)
- 4.
Man watches his history on the screen with apathy and an occasional passing flicker of horror or indignation.
Conor Cruise O’BrienIrish politician, writer, historian and academic (1917-2008)
- 5.
You can safely appeal to the United Nations in the comfortable certainty that it will let you down.
Conor Cruise O’BrienIrish politician, writer, historian and academic (1917-2008)