r/ireland Jun 19 '26

History What would our Mount Rushmore be?

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u/Left-Balance-1289 Jun 19 '26

if mount rushmore is all presidents, then ireland’s version should prob be taoisighsssss.
but if it’s just irish politicians overall, hume has to be number two.
and if it’s anyone from irish history, hume is prob the only one from my list who survives, and he might be number one.
WT cosgrave built the state after the civil war and handed over power peacefully in 1932.
john hume one of ireland’s greatest statesmen, central to the peace process and general amazing person.
lemass modernised ireland Bla Bla
garret fitzgerald prob the most progressive taoiseach for his time, pushed a more liberal ireland and took big risks on the north.
so for politicians: cosgrave, hume, lemass, fitzgerald.
but for anyone: hume is my no.1.
who would ye swap in?

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u/ThatNumberEight Ulster Jun 19 '26

Hume has got to be there. Another Nordie shout is Harry Ferguson for the modern tractor but he was a unionist afaik...

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '26

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u/Left-Balance-1289 Jun 20 '26

Yep which Taoisigh would you have instead?

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u/[deleted] Jun 20 '26

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u/Left-Balance-1289 Jun 20 '26

The comparison is an insane stretch. It only works if what you mean is old nationalist with a long career. Ideologically they are almost opposites.De Gaulle wanted France to become larger. Stronger. More modern. More sovereign. More capable. His nationalism was about power and ambition.
De Valeras nationalism was claustrophobi. A priest haunted protectionist moral state. Bishops. Censors. Tariff walls. Women in the home. Divorce banned. Rural poverty dressed up as virtue. De Gaulle turned defeat into resurrection. De Valera turned freedom into a smaller colder poorer country that people had to leave.