La question irlandaise en France de 1860 à 1890 : perceptions et réactions
Institution:
Paris 7Disciplines:
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Abstract EN:
During the xixth century, france and ireland were united by a deep tradition called in france "amite franco-irlandaise" based on religion, military and politic links since the middle age. From 1860 to 1890 irish nationalists tried to use this common tradition to gain the help of french governement and of the french public opinion : france became involved in the irish question. During the 1860's, france fostered the old links with irish nationalists. Some fenians settled in paris to organise their strategy sheltered from the british persecutions and to get in touch with the parisian society. Through newspapers and books, the french public opinion received informations about the irish question. The year 1871 is a turning-point in the relations between france and ireland. The help offered by the irish people to france narrowed the irish links with france. But after the defeat and the "commune de paris", france could'nt be seen anymore as an ally. France continued to play a prominent part in the irish question but essentially through her public opinion. This deep change did'nt occure immediatly because of the election of the president mac mahon, catholic and proud of his irish origin. France remained a shelter and the irish nationalists kept in touch with the french society. From 1880 to 1890, the change introduced in the irish-french relations during the franco-prussian war resulted in a propaganda carried on by the irish nationalists in france. The parliamentary movement and the fenians sheltered in paris and tried to meet a lot of french famous politicians to sensitize the french public opinion, with success. But unlike the previous fench governements, the new ministry tried to deport irish nationalists in 1883 and 1885, puting and end to an old tradition. During this three decades, in despite of the contacts and of the propaganda spread by the irish nationalists, the irish question concerned few people in france, above all some politicians. But even the french political parties were not really interested in the irish problem ; they tried to use it to defend their own speculations. Distorted by the french politicians, the irish question remained also dependent upon a lot of french stereotypes and cliches about ireland and the irish.
Abstract FR:
Au xixe siecle, les peuples francais et irlandais sont unis par des liens pluriseculaires, par une "amite franco-irlandaise", que les nationalistes irlandais utilisent pour obtenir le soutien materiel et ideologique de la france. De 1860 a 1890, la france se trouve plus que jamais impliquee dans la question irlandaise, par la presence d'actives communautes de nationalistes irlandais sur son territoire, et par la mobilisation d'une partie de son opinion publique en leur faveur. En 1860, les revolutionnaires irlandais fenians s'installent a paris ou ils beneficient d'une totale impunite et tentent de developper des contacts avec les elites politiques et culturelles francaises informees sur l'actualite irlandaise par la presse et les publicistes. Durant les annees 1860, la france prolonge la tradition franco-irlandaise et confirme son role dans la question irlandaise. L'annee 1871 est une charniere dans les relations franco-irlandaises ; apres l'engagement massif des irlandais aupres des francais dans le conflit franco-prussien, la defaite francaise et la commune de paris, la france perd son role strategique. Durant les annees 1870, sous la presidence du marechal mac mahon, catholique et fier de ses origines irlandaises, la france accueille toujours avec bienveillance les nationalistes irlandais et les relations de societe perdurent, notamment a travers les liens clericaux. A partir des annees 1880, les nationalistes irlandais deploient en france une vaste propagande a travers la presse et des contacts directs avec des personnalites francaises. L'information sur l'irlande devient plethorique. Mais les gouvernants francais reagissent avec une fermete accrue, qui va jusqu'a rompre l'hospitalite dont beneficiaient jusqu'alors les regugies politiques irlandais, surveilles et expulses. En depit des contacts etablis en france par les nationalistes irlandais, la question irlandaise ne semble concerner qu'un public tres limite et demeure avant tout un instrument pour les hommes politiques francais, qui l'inserent dans leurs propres problematiques. Deformee par des cadres ideologiques rigides, la question irlandaise est modelee plus profondement encore par des prejuges et des stereotypes culturels qui reduisent considerablement la portee des revendications irlandaises en france.