Lord George Hill (1801-1879), who had a vast estate in Gaoth Dobhair, is one of the most intriguing and controversial figures in the history of Irish landlordism. Kevin Kinsella reckons that Cathal Porteir’s Irish language book, An Tiarna George Hill agus Pobal Ghaoth Dobhair, makes an excellent Christmas read.
BROADCASTER and writer Cathal Póirtéir’s sweeping biography of Gaoth Dobhair landlord George Hill is a must-read for anyone with an interest in local history, 19th-century Ireland or great Irish language nonfiction generally.
In compelling prose, Póirtéir takes us through Hill’s family history and opulent upbringing, to his purchase and development of his vast Gaoth Dobhair estates. Here, despite his apparent benevolence to his tenants, his twin goals of philanthropy towards the local community and profit for himself inevitably lead to turmoil. Centuries-old traditions are disrupted, conflict breaks out and a parliamentary committee is convened to assess the true nature of the area’s troubles.
Póirtéir’s research is comprehensive – he gives an impressive breadth of facts and opinions to help us form our own judgment of Hill. Throughout the book he unfailingly treats historical sources with care and provides crucial context.
Contemporary and modern views of Hill, from his west Donegal tenants and fellow aristocrats to historians and local folklore, give us a well-rounded and nuanced view of the life and legacy of this complex figure.
The early chapters are a fascinating look at the British upper class of Hill’s time. He and his family had social and familial links to many famous figures of the early 19th century, like the Duke of Wellington, Jane Austen and King George III.
Hill’s glamorous upbringing among the Anglo-Irish elite could not be a more dramatic contrast to the unspeakable poverty of his later tenants in Gaoth Dobhair, as described vividly in this book.
Also striking was the enthusiasm of Hill, his family, and other nobles for the native language of those tenants, given how closely tied to the Nationalist movement the Irish language would become later that century.
Hill not only made a great effort to learn the language himself, but subscribed to many societies which promoted its study and conservation, spoke it frequently to his tenants, and had tutors teach it to his children. As Póirtéir writes, the likes of Hill would have seen no conflict between support for the Irish language and loyalty to Britain.
I’d highly recommend An Tiarna George Hill agus Pobal Ghaoth Dobhair to anyone interested in a figure and story of significance and controversy in the history of Ireland and Donegal.
Kevin Kinsella, from the Glencar area of Letterkenny, is a translator and musician now based in Dublin. ‘An Tiarna George Hill agus Pobal Ghaoth Dobhair’ is available at The Bookmark in Letterkenny Shopping Centre.
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