Dia Do Bheatha
Sultan
T
he Irish people are famed for their kindness and generosity, especially when it comes to supporting charities. The online crowdfunding platform GoFundMe recently named Ireland the most generous country in the world, having retained the position for a third year running, with the highest number of donations per capita. In his 2014 TED Talk, ‘Which country does the most good for the world?’ Simon Anholt proclaimed that Ireland was the ‘goodest’ country in the world, according to a survey that measured what each country on earth contributes to the planet and the human race. Many believe that the generosity of the Irish is partially due to the legacy of the Great Hunger, An Gorta Mór, in the 1840s and 1850s. Ireland has not forgotten the kindness of people throughout the world that provided assistance in their time of need. Donations came from locations as diverse as Australia, China, India, Russia, South America, South Africa, Mexico and Italy, from across religious, ethnic and social divides. Help came from some of the poorest groups in society, including former slaves in the Caribbean. The donation from the Native American Choctaws representright: A painting of Abdulmejid at the Pera Museum in Istanbul (oil on canvas, 1850s). The Sultan wears a ceremonial uniform with gold embroidery on his front, collar and sleeves, with the Medal of the Medici order on his chest. 68 SUMMER 2021 ANTHOLOGY
The little-known story of Turkish aid to the Irish during the Great Hunger words edel cassidy
