Some of you will remember a TV series from the 1970s called The Invisible Man, starring David McCallum. I remember a guy with a speech impediment at National School. We used to make fun of him mercilessly when he told us about watching “De invithibel man.”
Invisible, that’s how I’m starting to feel again here in Cavan. I am something of a “high profile” historian, what with my weekly column for the Echo, which I love writing. I don’t give myself airs and graces of expertise, but there is one section of the area’s history that I do consider myself something of an expert on, if only because I’ve spent so much time on it– over twenty years in fact. I’m talking about the later medieval period (c. 1200-1500/50). What’s more the “academic community” consider me a specialist, often referring queries to me. For example, I recently produced a paper in collaboration with archaeologist Paddy O’Donovan.
So imagine how amazed and hurt I was when I read that Cavan’s County Museum are planning to hold an exhibition on the later medieval and early modern history of Cavan at the end of August, without mentioning a word to me. This seems to be the big idea of the museum’s Research Officer, Dr Brendan Scott. Nobody in the museum has had the courtesy to contact me about it, and what’s more my name wasn’t mentioned in the local rag’s article. Some people who read this piece assumed that I must have had something to do with the planned exhibition, as to leave out someone who is an expert on their door-step is ridiculous. But no, not a dicky-bird. When I worked in the museum there was a lot of talk about embracing county Cavan and its people and including them in the museum’s work. That seems to have gone for a Burton.
It would have been basic common courtesy to tell me about it, maybe ask me if I wanted to make any input, or mention me in their publicity.
Dr Brendan Scott may see himself as an expert on the early modern period (c. 1600 – whenever) but he has no right to parade himself as an expert on my period and steal my work.
Relations between Cavan County Museum and myself have not been good, especially since the museum in its infinitesimal wisdom dispensed with my services (though not my work) at the end of 1996. Recently, though, I had started to view the museum with more indulgence. After all, none of the staff there now, such as Dominic or Savina, could be held responsible for my shameful treatment. I have never met Dr Brendan Scott Research Officer, though friends in common have assured me of his affability, and so I convinced myself that he must be a nice guy. It’s true that he holds my old job, but let me assure him that he is more than welcome to it. Had I my full sight and full use of my limbs you wouldn’t see me for the dust; I’d prefer to work as a bouncer at a bar in Burkina Faso rather than in a pokey little museum in the back of beyonds.
Of course the museum’s staff will come up with a whole number of frankly absurd reasons for giving me the cold shoulder. Let’s see… they couldn’t contact me – well admittedly I had to change my telephone number after a former member of staff there kept making threatening ‘phone calls to me and verbally abusing my family; there’s still e-mail and snail-mail. Another excuse might be “I didn’t like the museum”. True, but as I said above I was starting to believe that maybe I should let bygones be bygones and all of that. I have written about the museum in a calm and dispassionate manner without each word being bathed in vitriol. Another excuse might be the “awful things” I said about the museum on my website www.iol.ie/~cparker. I haven’t done any work on my website for years (immediately apparent to anyone who visits it), and as for this blog people will search in vain for references to the museum. One other excuse trotted out in the past was Brian Johnston didn’t like me – more of an urban myth than reality. Poor Brian (may God be good to him) is now in the great Court-house in the sky and I am proud to number his successor among my friends.
Some people have suggested jealousy as a motive – jealousy! Of me? For crying out loud! It’s true that I write well (one of the few things I can do anymore). I just have pride in what I do, and to be able to look back on a job well done. But this is where jealousy seeps in; they feel uneasy about a cripple being able to do anything better than they can – and let’s face it that’s not hard. Not content though, they try and steal what I’ve done and conceal their own mediocrity. This way they are able to justify their positions, their salaries and their membership of the local officer corp.
There may be some perfectly flabby explanation for what has happened, but I’m waiting to hear it. Until then I can only say that Cavan County Museum has once again slighted me, and that the slight was deliberate. I feel I don’t deserve this – for God’s sake I’m in a fucking wheelchair now, have you no bloody decency?
