Chapter 2: Other early pioneers
Besides
Geoghegan there were other early Irish pioneers of Esperanto. Here is a
brief account of some of them: -
Dr
James C. O’Connor M.A., Ph.D.
was born in Cork. He spent a
lot of time in England. The textbook that he wrote was for years the only
one for English speakers. He edited a monthly paper “The Esperanto
Teacher”. Around 1902 he established the first Esperanto group in
London, when five students of Esperanto used to meet in his house for
lessons. He co-wrote, with C. F. Hayes, the first English-Esperanto
Dictionary in 1904 and became a member of the Lingva Komitato. In
1905 he was elected President of the “Grupo Esperantista Dublina”.
K.
Pollen, a
judge, was born on 3rd June 1848 in Kingstown (now Dun
Laoghaire) and died on 18th June 1923 from falling into the sea
at the Isle of Man. He lived in India from 1871 to 1903. Everywhere in
India and during travels in the orient he campaigned for Esperanto. He
also wrote a “key” for Indians. [A key is a tiny booklet that sets out
the essentials of Esperanto for speakers of a particular language - KK]
He was President of the British Esperanto Association 1904 – 1912. It was
said that during the 3rd World Esperanto Congress at Cambridge [England]
in 1907 he gave the whole congress “good-humoured gaiety”.
Rev. G. R. Wynne
(1847 – 1912) was a pioneer of Esperanto in Ireland and a fervent
propagandist. He was priest of the parish of St Michael in Limerick.
George Jameson Johnston
was a pioneer of the movement in Ireland, and was a UEA Delegate from 1909
to 1914. [This is an official local representative of the World
Esperanto Association (UEA), who can be called upon to provide information
to other members about his/her locality or subject - KK]. He was
Vice-President of the Irlanda Esperanto-Asocio and in 1913 he
became Chairman of TEKA [Tutmonda Esperanta Kuracista Asocio –
Worldwide Esperanto Doctors’ Association – KK] .He was a professor of
surgery in Dublin and died in 1926.
Prof. Fournier d’Albe
was a professor in Dublin University. With the help of Robert Boyd
White SCH TCD he translated into Esperanto “Eachtra Laoghaire
Mhic Criomhtain go Maigh Meall” (The Visit of Laoghaire, son of
Criomhtain, to the Field of Joy), an ancient Irish story from The Book
of Lismore. M H Gill & Son Ltd, Dublin, published it around 1907. This
was the first translation into Esperanto from the Irish language.
Professor Fournier d’Albe spoke at the Second Summer University, which was
held in Edinburgh as part of the 18th World Congress of
Esperanto in 1926. His theme was “Wireless Telegraphy and Television” – a
subject which was then not merely modern but ahead of its time.
Emma L Osmond
was an Englishwoman who was born in
London on 7th
October 1868. She was very interested in Ireland. It was through Esperanto
that she first heard of the Irish language. She joined the Gaelic League
in London, attended classes and learnt the Irish language. For 20 years
she wrote about Ireland and also spoke and lectured about Ireland at
Esperanto Congresses in various cities. With the permission of Dr
Douglas Hyde she translated the Irish Folk Tales into Esperanto.
They appeared in International Language 1924 – 1931, and in that
way they reached the small nations of the world. She sent the bound volume
to Dr Hyde and it now lies in the archives of the Folklore Commission
in University College, Dublin. She also translated Swift’s Gulliver’s
Travels into Esperanto. She died in 1944. Kalocsay, the famous
Esperantist poet, wrote about her: “Pri la Irlanda kanto trila, plezuras
vi kun kora varmo”. [About the trilling Irish song, you take pleasure
with a heart’s warmth – KK]
Rev. Graham Bailey
was born on 8th
September 1872. He was a missionary from 1895 to 1920, and afterwards a
professor at London University. He wrote nine books and many articles
about languages of India. He was Honorary President of the London
Esperanto Group and member of the
Lingva Komitato.
He preached in Esperanto in 1926 at the 18th World Congress
during the Protestant service, and preached also at the 22nd
World Congress in Oxford in 1930. It is interesting to see that another
Irishman also preached in Esperanto at the same Congress, the Catholic
Father Gaffney,
in the Catholic service.
So it
seems that the Movement in Ireland was ecumenical. The Rev. Bailey died on
5th April 1942.
Prof. William Brown
(1871 – 1950) was another Irish professor who fervently supported the
Esperanto movement for 40 years. He was co-translator of
Concerning the Origin of Man
by A Keith.
C
P Blackham
was one of the earliest Esperantists in Ireland. He became an Esperantist
in 1904 and attended the First Congress at Boulonge-sur-Mer.
George Gordon,
a banker, was born in Gorey
on 22nd February 1857. He emigrated to New Zealand and lived at
Christchurch from 1906. He wrote
“Kara Panjo”
[dear mummy – KK]
in 1911, “La Kamena
Angulo” [the fireplace corner – KK]
in 1915, “Alegorioj
el la naturo” [allegories from nature- KK]
in 1913 and1922, “Lia
Lasta Ŝanco” [his last chance – KK]
in 1915, and the
“Indekso
al Esp-Angla Vortaro de Millidge” [index to Millidge’s Esperanto-English
dictionary – KK]
in 1924. He was the founder of the Esperanto Association of Melbourne in
Australia. He died in 1946.
Chapter 3: Groups, Associations and Leagues
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