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In Memoriam Paul Brennan- 1939-2003  

Since November 10th 2003, some Irish Studies scholars in France and abroad have been mourning a colleague, but many more have been coping with the loss of a favourite friend, of someone whose role was central in their lives. Paul Brennan was of course a most successful academic, who, after spending a few years as Professor of Irish and British Studies at the University of Caen, was called to occupy the same position at the prestigious University of the Sorbonne-Paris III. In Paris and in Caen he attracted dozens of graduates each year, all eager to enroll in his classes and have their M.A. or Ph.D dissertations in Irish Studies supervised by him. He published extensively on various aspects of Irish history, politics or economy, created a journal called L’Irlande politique et sociale published at the Sorbonne-Paris III and was co-editor of Etudes irlandaises for years. He was recognised as a resource-person by the French media who often used his expertise in the issue of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Every year Paul was asked to write a paper on the evolution of the Republic of Ireland for « La Documentation française », a government publication meant to spread reference information in the fields of political, social, economic sciences, nationwide and at an international level. He was very active in the French academic world at large, sitting on numerous official boards and committees, such as the « Conseil National des Universités », an elected body which governs the careers of all university teachers. For years he was vice-president of the CAPES, the competitive recruiting exam for secondary-school teachers. Over the last three years, the Minister for Education had put him in charge of supervising the re-organisation of the national curriculum for all modern languages in secondary schools. Even though all these tasks cost him considerable amounts of time and energy, Paul took a special pride in fulfilling them, so great was his committment to the public service.

But most of all, he was a tireless champion of the cause of Irish Studies in France, continuing the pioneering work of Patrick Rafroidi, Jacqueline Genet or Claude Fierobe. As President of the SOFEIR (Société Française d’Etudes Irlandaises) for six years, Paul made sure to develop throughout the country a network of scholars who all worked in a spirit of solidarity and enterprise, but also to maintain connections with academics in other countries. He was at the origin of the creation of the European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies (EFACIS) and often reminded us of the importance of taking part in its activities. Paul had friends and connections everywhere and at all levels of public life, and when the SOFEIR decided to celebrate year 2000 by holding its annual conference in Dublin, he was able to gather an amazing group of top-ranking Irish academics, as well as politicians, film-makers or writers, who all agreed to join us in Newman House for two days of round tables and discussions. For all his involvements in many areas of academic and public life-he was also an active member of a trade-union and a socialist sympathiser- Paul will be remembered by his colleagues and students as a generous, warm, devoted friend who gave every one of us the feeling that he or she was in his particular care. Many of us now feel deprived of a faithful supporter who was always at our side to tell us that it was time to make a move in our careers, who was there to encourage us and even at times scold us for our lack of ambition, courage or energy. Paul himself was full of energy, and despite the enormous load of work that he chose to carry through, he never complained: he was the most joyful person I have ever known, someone who brightened up your day, and turned all Irish Studies meetings into friendly, happy occasions. We all enjoyed his quips and his irony, his Irish « crack », and were all seduced by his enormous personal charm. Today, even though we have promised ourselves to carry on Paul’s work and to keep his spirit alive, we French Irish Studies scholars find that our world has lost some of its colours and attractions, a feeling we know many of you will share.

Sylvie Mikowski
Professor of Irish Studies
Université de Reims-Champagne-Ardenne