'Look, 40% of the southeast have Norman names': Browne defends William the Conqueror millennium
A plan to commemorate the first Norman king of England William the Conqueror in 2027, one thousand years after his birth, was
proposed to cabinet this week by Browne
and was sharply met with dismay from Sinn Féin.
The year-long commemoration were
labelled 'offensive' by Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh
.
He said it beggared belief, given the 'legacy of William's successors invading and subjugating Ireland in the name of his English crown'.
Asked about the criticism today, Browne told
The Journal
that the events were about 'respectfully commemorating a historical event that hugely influenced Ireland's future'.
'Look, around 15% of the population in this country are Norman heritage. When you go down to the southeast, up to 40% of surnames are Norman heritage.'
The Normans, who landed in Wexford's Bannow Bay in 1169, were responsible for the foundation of many Irish towns.
They also built castles, abbeys and cathedrals that are still standing today. These include St Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral.
The first Norman king of England, William the Conquerer, began his reign after he won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, defeating King Harold's English army.
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Following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Browne said the Normans 'left their mark in monumental ways' and he wants this new initiative to leave a lasting legacy, by promoting tourism and boosting the economy.
Heritage Minister James Browne clarified that the events were not celebrating any particular person.
Muiris Ó Cearbhaill / The Journal
Muiris Ó Cearbhaill / The Journal / The Journal
Today, he clarified that the events were about commemorating – not celebrating – a group of people who arrived to Ireland and 'ended up with a tagline of being more Irish than the Irish themselves'.
'They adopted Gaelic culture, they married into Gaelic families, and they fought for Irish freedom on many, many occasions. So we're right to commemorate it. We're not celebrating anybody, so we're not.'
Ó Snodaigh this week slammed Browne's plan as amounting to 'scraping the barrel of colonialism, imperialism and English royalism' for the sake of 'themed tourism'.
He said we should 'take pride in the rich architectural, cultural, and literary heritage' of Anglo-Norman Ireland, but that his party draws the line at focusing the commemoration around England's first Norman king.
Asked about Ó Snodaigh's remarks, Browne told
The Journal
: 'I'm a little bit worried that Sinn Féin have increasingly taken any opportunity to hint at nativism. I think, you know, we really have to be very careful with this type of language.'
The 'European Year of the Normans' will consist of multidisciplinary events, such as exhibitions, live performances, cross-border artistic residencies, re-enactments, student exchanges, sports, research and more.
It will also involve partners from Normandy, the Channel Islands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Denmark. The events will take place from March to October 2027.
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