Éirinn & Iran go Brách

The worlding of Irish culture has a complex history, as Mansour Bonakdarian’s consummate study proves. Before Ireland was Europeanized, Irish writers and historians found a cultural fount in the history and culture of Iran.Bonakdarian expertly shows us the breadth of Irish origin stories tying Erin and Iran—where they came from, what they overlooked, and how they inspired. -- Joseph Lennon, Villanova University, author of Irish Orientalism: A Literary and Intellectual History Bonakdarian’s fascinating study illuminates one of the lesser known aspects of intellectual history and nationalist historiography, that between Irish and Iranian nationalisms and the way in which they sought to contextualise their movements in relation to each other and wider liberation movements. A brilliant, penetrating study which deserves to be read widely. -- Ali M Ansari, University of St Andrews “Mansour Bonakdarian offers a sustained, meticulously researched comparative history on Irish-Iranian entanglements spanning the long nineteenth century. Moving from the initial conduit of romantic orientalism toward a colonial lens on Imperial British world politics, it is a very welcome addition to the fields of Irish studies, nationalism studies, and comparative history.” — Joep Leerssen, Emeritus Professor, Universities of Amsterdam and Maastricht “The worlding of Irish culture has a complex history, as Mansour Bonakdarian’s consummate study proves. Before Ireland was Europeanized, Irish writers and historians found a cultural fount in the history and culture of Iran. Bonakdarian expertly shows us the breadth of Irish-origin stories tying Érin and Iran—where they came from, what they overlooked, and how they inspired.” — Joseph Lennon, Villanova University, author of Irish Orientalism: A Literary and Intellectual History “Bonakdarian’s fascinating study illuminates one of the lesser known aspects of intellectual history and nationalist historiography, that between Irish and Iranian nationalisms and the way in which they sought to contextualize their movements in relation to each other and wider liberation movements. A brilliant, penetrating study which deserves to be read widely.” — Ali M. Ansari, University of St Andrews