An imaginary conversation with John Hurt

02/15/2012

2 Comments

 

The actor John Hurt participated in the British genealogy programme Who Do You Think You Are? He was shocked to discover that no link can be found at this time between his family and that of the Marquis of Sligo.

MB; My heart went out to you yesterday when I saw you on Who Do You Think You Are? How are you feeling now?
JH; My heart is broken.
MB; Tell me some more about that?
JH; My Irish identity has always meant so much to me. I felt such an amazing sense of homecoming when first I arrived here. I felt sure I could feel the call of my ancestors, blood calling to blood...I felt connected to something so much more than me.
MB; And now?
JH; I feel rootless...that it was all a fantasy conjured up by a man who wanted to make himself far more important than he really was...
MB; Walter Lord Brown?
JH; Yes...
MB; Tell me more about how you used to feel about being Irish?
JH;  I identified with the sadness I see in Irish people, their courage, the dark humour in times of trouble, the sense of triumphing over obstacles, the poetry, the music. I absolutely love the place, the countryside, the surprise little gems that one can find just around the corner. Ireland was my home, my son was born in Portlaoise. I feel that all of this that I love and cherish has been taken from me. I feel cheated.
MB; Cheated of your birthright?
JH; Exactly!
MB; And how are you feeling now?
JH; Angry, really angry!
MB; Say some more about this anger?
JH; I am excluded now...excluded from the only club I ever wanted to belong to...
MB; Who or what is excluding you?
JH; The actions of Walter Lord Brown of course! (impatiently)
Silence, dare I risk saying what I am thinking?
MB; Walter Lord Brown is dead.
JH; Precisely!
More silence.
JH; Are you trying to tell me that the actions of a dead man need have no influence over me today?
Silence as I see that he is pursuing this line of thought.
MB; "the actions of a dead man need have no influence" over you today?
JH; That is quite possible.  
MB; Would you allow a living person to have such an influence over you? Or steal from you what you believe is rightfully yours?
JH; Absolutely not!
MB; I didn't think so somehow.

If you enjoyed this imaginary conversation, maybe you would like to mailto:martinetheirishgenealogycoach@gmail.com to set up a real conversation about you and your Irish Identity.
Martine
 

  
 


Comments

Mairead link
02/16/2012 15:57

Martine - Your post makes me very curious to see this episode of the British version of "Who Do You Think You Are?" I must see if I can find it online.

You give voice to John Hurt's desire to be Irish, a feeling of belonging that Ireland conjures up. I read of how Kurt Cobain, the lead singer with Nirvana who tragically ended his own life, once visited Cork where his ancestors hailed from. He spoke of a sense of peace, of belonging he never felt anywhere else in the world. I often think how wonderful it would have been if he had seized that moment, and stayed in Ireland, strengthening his spirit. You do not have to be born in Ireland to feel that sense of belonging. It is a spiritual thing, felt even by those who have no ancestral claim to Ireland. The spirit can never be cheated, because it alone knows where it belongs.

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Martine Brennan link
02/17/2012 04:51

"The spirit can never be cheated, because it alone knows where it belongs." This is my belief and my experience too Mairead.
As I listened to John Hurt on the programme, I found myself muttering "you decide/choose" The heart knows what it knows. (and also no Irish ancestors were found back to the 1800's but that does not mean NEVER!)
When I worked in London with 2nd and 3rd generation Irish, as they are known over, we often talked about this issue of identification. Some with Irish parents identified themselves as Irish and others did not.

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