American author Gil Bailie depicts traditional culture as like a stone glistening in the surf. When picked up and examined it looses lustre and becomes like other stones. The lustre is mythical and behind it lies a violent past in which peace was bought at the expense of victims. It was Frenchman Rene Girard who first theorised that primitive culture began with unanimous violence against scapegoats. Those who benefit remember the violence in mythical form; those at the receiving end are cowered, expelled or eliminated. When the mythical glitter fades 'tarbush and gold leaf' are used to embellish and revive its lustre.
In the ancient Greek world, Clio was a goddess whose name meant 'to praise' and whose celebrated symbol was the laurel wreath symbolising glory. Her role was to ensure that remembering the past awakened zeal to emulate illustrious deeds. These 'heroic' deeds were violent but, where once they were life-giving, bringing order out of chaos, today they may stimulate cycles of destructive violence. We in Northern Ireland know something of Clio's power to foster violence and even when affronted by bloodshed we may re-enact it, not only as memorial but also in practice.
Before the years of violence festivals were hosted to celebrate the violent struggles upon which our mutually exclusive traditions rest. In 1962 and 1966 respectively, thousands celebrated the Ulster Covenant and foundation of the UVF in 1912 followed by the Easter Rising of 1916. Gun running was lauded, zeal was stimulated, and before long we were engulfed in a cycle of violence.
Clio's mythical appeal can be seen in the lexicon of republican martyrology and in the poignant words of hunger striker Thomas Ashe: "Let me carry your cross for Ireland Lord". Padraic Pearse was enthralled by this world and his passion stirred others to follow the ancient path of bloodshed that he presented as "cleansing" and "sanctifying". He expressed pleasure at the prospect of armed Orangemen and, at the graveside of O'Donnovan Rossa, spoke
of power residing at the graves of dead heroes. "They have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at rest," he said.
Wolfe Tone less romantically in 1798 said: "From the blood of everyone of the martyrs of the liberty of Ireland will spring, I hope, thousands to revenge their fall". Bloodshed, obscured by a cloud of myths, is found in all societies but the self-sacrificial motif is closer to the surface in Ireland. This has fostered emulation through Pearse's mythical, "chain of separatist tradition" that, he claimed "never once snapped during the centuries". Heroes he said, had "handed on a tradition to the future" – a tradition of bloodshed. Gil Bailie quotes American poet Howard Nemerov: "Tell us no more enchantments, Clio. History has given and taken away; murders become memories, And memories become the beautiful obligations: As with a dream interpreted by one still sleeping, The interpretation is only the next room of the dream."
"The next room,"Bailie suggests, includes Auschwitz, Hiroshima or Bosnia but could include Northern Ireland still struggling with a legacy of violence. He defines myth as a "special combination of fact and fantasy, one that tells of an actual violent event, but that "veils and vindicated the actual violence". Mythology is not devoid of truth but deeds of valour hide the reality that war is hell.
In pre-history according to Girard, violence was cathartic and killings brought peace. Today, myths are fading but instead of catharsis we experience 'mimesis', ie unconscious imitation that stimulates rather than quenches the appetite for victims. Even 'good' violence can provide fascinating models to be consciously or unconsciously emulated in an age in which there remains little distinction between 'good' and 'bad' violence.
The myths that camouflaged our bloody past seem to be disappearing but violence remains. Some look over the precipice and hold back but others remain mesmerised by the deeds of valour. But to lionise or demonise past heroes and anti-heroes is to flaunt Clio's allurement and risk a return to violence. Our task therefore is to demythologise the sacred demonic notion that dying for Ireland/Ulster is superior to living for Ireland/Ulster. The hope is that we might yet discover brothers and sisters where once we could see only enemies and opponents.
