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Irish Times
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
There's more to Irish history than eight centuries of British oppression and failed uprisings
A man from Meath conquered more land in India – more quickly – than Napoleon conquered in all of Europe. Yet Richard Wellesley is almost forgotten. An Irish woman, Teresa Ball, helped – from her home in Rathfarnham – to educate thousands of Catholic girls in countries from Canada to India. And a Catholic from Tipperary witnessed a famine eviction as a child, fought the Fenians in Canada as a British officer, but openly advocated for Irish Home Rule. William Butler wrote best-sellers, effectively invented Canada's 'Mounties' and almost prevented the Boer War. Yet most of us have never heard of him. Too often, Irish history can feel like 'eight centuries of British oppression, punctuated by the odd, failed uprising'. But behind that are far more surprising, interesting characters who reveal Ireland's complex status in a world shaped by European empires. The implications for our sense of national identity have real-world significance. Ireland had a ringside seat for the UK's Brexit vote, which boiled down to a simplistic, binary question: 'Do you feel European or not?' A similar question dominated Scotland's independence referendum: 'Do you feel Scottish or British?' Such questions force everyone into one of two opposing camps. Even if your side wins, huge numbers of your compatriots feel alienated, turning electoral politics into a confrontational, zero-sum arena. Instead of focusing on fixing hospitals, the British Tories, and Scottish SNP lost their way in repeatedly relitigating these purity tests, until voters soured on both. READ MORE Our debates about a United Ireland tend to focus on logistical questions. What flag would we use? What national anthem? How much would it cost? (Anywhere from €3 billion to €20 billion, depending on which economic analysis you read.) But if we want to avoid the chaos of Brexit Britain, we need to confront the identity question. What makes us feel Irish? What is our national story, in the context of our long, troubled relationship with our neighbouring island? That was the division that split North from South a century ago. Whether we're moving towards a united Ireland or a shared island, these awkward corners of our history help us move past the old binary, reinforced by the Troubles, of 'Catholic-Irish-nationalist' and 'Protestant-British-unionist'. Many of the people we meet in Irish Imperial Lives, an RTÉ Radio 1 series and podcast I made with Kate O'Malley, shatter that dichotomy. Richard Wellesley was a Protestant, but both his wives were Catholic. His lifelong support for Catholic emancipation was so deep that it cost him the chance to be British prime minister in 1812. Ball, who founded the Loreto order, helped establish Catholic girls' schools across the empire, was embraced by Queen Victoria but frequently blocked by Catholic bishops. Butler served the empire with such distinction, from Canada to Africa, that he was knighted, and became Queen Victoria's aide-de-camp. Yet he was also friends with Parnell, and advocated Irish Home Rule. [ For a united Ireland to work messy compromises will be needed, but we can't gift Irish identity to the far-right Opens in new window ] Irish people fought against the British Empire from the New World, while others helped expand the British Empire but used their position to advocate for Ireland. One way to think about the latter group is to consider the Stripe founders, Patrick and John Collison from Limerick. You may not like the fact that 19th-century London – like Silicon Valley today – made decisions which shaped the wider world in profound ways. But you can still admire Irish people who, through their talent, tenacity and timing, achieved extraordinary things, without forgetting where they came from. What about the Irish Presbyterian Lambert Blair, who traded everything from women's shoes to enslaved human beings in the Dutch-controlled Caribbean? Or the Irish Catholic mercenary Peter Lacy, who led the imperial Russian army that captured Crimea in the 1730s – with disturbing resonances today? Whether we like it or not, all of these people are a part of Irish history. When we accept that, it becomes a lot harder to exclude unionists or Protestants or, frankly, anyone from our island's history. The world built by Europe's empires is still with us. Why do so many of Ireland's young people still choose to emigrate to Australia? We're EU citizens. We can take our pick of any climate that suits us, from Spain to Sweden. We can live and work, visa-free, in many of the world's happiest, most beautiful, and liveable cities – all a short plane ride from home. And yet, consistently, our young people move halfway around the world. And if it's not Australia, it's often Canada, the US or UK. Why? Because they speak English, and they've been welcoming Irish people for centuries ... both things directly linked to the British Empire. For argument's sake, imagine if the Battle of Kinsale had gone the other way. The Earls of Ulster and the Spanish forces could have carried the day, preventing the Ulster plantation and making Catholic Ireland an outpost of the Spanish empire. We might all speak Spanish. Consider how radically different Ireland would be today if our strongest ties were with Spain, Mexico and Latin America – and we were adrift from the anglosphere of the UK, US and Australia. Whether we like it or not, our past shapes our present in profound ways. Abie Philbin Bowman is the creator and co-host (with historian Kate O'Malley) of the RTÉ Radio 1 series, and podcast, Irish Imperial Lives, which returns on Saturday, August 2nd at 8pm
India.com
03-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Rs 62900000000000 in deposits, this bank is called ‘the nation's vault' due to..., it is owned...
The State Bank of India (SBI) is one of the oldest banks in India. It has a history dating back to the early 19th century, and is seen as a pillar of the country's banking history and development. With more than 500 million account holders, SBI is dubbed the nation's treasure. But few people are aware of its beginning. Rs 62900000000000 in deposits, this bank is called 'the nation's vault' due to…, it is owned… According to the Zee report, in 1798, Richard Wellesley came to India as the Governor-General of the East India Company. The following year, he took on Mysore, defeating Tipu Sultan, and the Second Anglo-Maratha War began. During the war, to supplement the British armed forces financially, the East India Company instituted a financial system wherein Indian dollars went through this bank to England, reached England, and then came before returning to India for use against the Indian people. Once the war ended, the British put this system into practice as an official bank. In 1806, the Brits called this funding institution the Bank of Calcutta. In 1809, the British renamed the bank to the Bank of Bengal, and before long, branches began to open in various areas of the region. Later, the control of the bank was transferred to the British Crown (in England). The British also established the Bank of Bombay in 1840 and then the Bank of Madras in 1843. These three banks were merged in 1921, resulting in the Imperial Bank of India. After India became independent from British rule, in 1955, it changed its name from Imperial Bank of India to the State Bank of India (SBI). Now, the bank is owned by the Government of India, but its origins were from the British era. SBI has branches not only in India but also in numerous countries. Over many years, the bank has absorbed many other banks, and SBI has more than 500 million customers today. The bank has a huge network from important international cities to remote Indian villages. SBI acts like the backbone of the financial structures in India and adds growth internationally, in addition to rural and urban areas. SBI's loaning process has a significant impact in terms of India's economy. Going by the Zeenews reports, the State Bank of India (SBI)'s Raisina Road branch in New Delhi is now more than a century old. Once upon a time, it held the accounts of many of the leading dignitaries of India and Pakistan. The branch even has many bank accounts that are older than 100 years old and are still preserved. The branch opened on January 4, 1926, and now contributes almost 14 % of the total business for SBI Delhi Circle, which is close to Rs 70,000 crore. SBI is also still India's largest bank with a 23 % share of the entire banking system in India, and a market share of about 25 % in total advances and deposits. As of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, the State Bank of India (SBI) reported total deposits amounting to ₹6,29,680 crore (approximately Rs 6.29 lakh crore).
