“What’s the most enduring phrase in Irish literature? Could it be “And yes I said yes I will Yes”? Or maybe “Waiting for Godot”? Or even “Is it about a bicycle?” despite its appearance in a book based in Eternity. The widely recognised, seemingly immortal line penned by an Irish writer is “the centre cannot hold”. This line is an evergreen favourite among headline creators, surpassing all others in popularity.
It recently made a high-profile appearance on the cover of the Economist, superimposed over an image of the French tri-colour flag, with the blue and red segments blowing in the wind, and the white section conspicuous by its absence.
There’s always a political upheaval somewhere globally, to which the apocalyptic “The Second Coming” by Yeats – especially the part about the centre’s grim prospects – has relevance.
Penned in 1919 during the volatile period of the Bolshevik Revolution and warfare in Ireland, its popularity surged a century later thanks to Brexit and Donald Trump. Even now, on its 105th anniversary, it shows no signs of fading.
Frank McNally touches upon this renowned phrase, ‘the centre cannot hold,’ in Irish literature and also discusses the increasing prominence of French football.
He also discusses the imprisonment of Dublin’s Grand Canal, a joyous funeral with a grim subtext, and an infrequent performance of a classic 19th-century opera.
Several other lines from the poem are also apt for headlines, including the title “The Second Coming”, which now has Yeats competing with Christianity for its copyright. It is poised to gain fresh relevance during this year’s US presidential race.
“Things fall apart”, “What rough beast”, and “the darkness drops again” are likely to be revived as well.
However, the phrase “the centre cannot hold” with its universal appeal resonates even in non-political contexts such as in instances where players like Bundee Aki or Robbie Henshaw make an error on the rugby field, making it essential.”
The lesser-known verse “The bicycles go by in twos and threes” mentioned recently, has achieved some degree of timelessness according to Sean Lyons, a reader of Patrick Kavanagh’s poem. The poem is about being exiled from a dance at Billy Brennan’s barn in the 1930s.
At the Wild Mind festival, an event honouring nature, held in Fenit, Co Kerry, Sean coordinated an activity titled “Poetry in Motion”. The activity included a group cycling along the local greenway with breaks to recite poetry.
An intriguing occurrence happened when a young woman from Monaghan joined them. Sean requested her to begin with a recital of Inniskeen Road July Evening. She reintroduced herself as “Billy Brennan’s grandniece”. Interestingly, the festival’s main location was a place named “The Barn”.
Similarly, I spotted a strangely familiar yet unique name among the signees of a public letter from Joyceans, as mentioned in Conor Gallagher’s news article on July 12th. The letter expressed dismay over the exclusion of Fritz Senn from the recent Joyce Symposium.
The signee “Maninda Muquintoj” proclaimed themselves to be a “cryptographer” from “Hadesville, TN” [Tennessee], which seemed believable. In the vein of James Joyce, cryptographic interests have been linked with Joyce’s real-life friend John Francis Byrne. Joyce incorporated numerous puzzles into Ulysses, left for future researchers to unravel.
However, the institution “Maninda” was connected to, “Necropolis College”, raised eyebrows. Upon further exploration, it seems to be largely another elusive apparition from Paddy Dignam’s funeral, still mystifying Joyceans: “the man in the Macintosh”.
As Bastille Day approaches, there’s exciting news that the French are embarking on an Irish journey, but not in the way they did back in 1798. Instead of targeting Kilala, their sights are set on Dublin, with greater prospects of success this time around. France’s Gaelic football team is the catalyst for this friendly invasion, as they will venture on an Irish tour next week to compete in three matches against local teams. Notably, these players aren’t just Irish expatriates playing in France; they are bona fide French individuals, such as Maxime Batard of Paris Gaels, Antoin Mania of Bordeaux Gaelic, and Jérémy Charrier of Nantes Don Bosco.
They aren’t planning matches in Castlebar or Ballinamuck. Instead, taking heed from General Humbert’s historical missteps, they’ll head directly to Dublin to compete against Portobello, Na Fianna, and Beann Eadair. It’s becoming increasingly common for French GAA clubs to draw in local players without Irish lineage, hence why the ‘Gallic Athletic Association’, as it appropriately should be called, has garnered a tour team of 23 homegrown footballers.
However, one notable absence from the touring panel is the renowned dual-sport athlete, Thierry Henry, best known for his part in France’s spectacular winning goal against Ireland in 2009 football match. Despite being 47, one can surmise he could still play at a junior level.
Switching topic to the continuality of traditional events, there’s reassurance that the centre, specifically referring to the Taney Parish Centre in Dublin, remains intact. The centre is expected to host the annual Yeats Sisters Symposium this weekend. This event celebrates the work of WB’s sisters, Susan and Elizabeth. Information on the full programme can be obtained from the symposium’s website.