Michael Collins

[Niblox]

Alan Rickman did a splendid job as Eamon De Valera - he looked and sounded like him so well that many elderly people who saw the film thought it WAS Dev! And Alan Rickman is English....

For those of you who are interested, Tim Pat Coogan has also written a biography of De Valera - "Long Fellow, Long Shadow". Be warned, however, that this is not a hagiography.

[slohairt]

Alan Rickman did a splendid job as Eamon De Valera - he looked and sounded like him so well that many elderly people who saw the film thought it WAS Dev! And Alan Rickman is English....

For those of you who are interested, Tim Pat Coogan has also written a biography of De Valera - "Long Fellow, Long Shadow". Be warned, however, that this is not a hagiography.

Though born in England, Rickman's father was Irish, and his mother was Welsh.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Though born in England, Rickman's father was Irish, and his mother was Welsh.

And Dev was born in the USA. As an aside, having served in the Department of Art, Culture, etc. for two years while Sile de Valera (grand daughter of "The Boss") was Minister, I do not recall her ever using the Irish version of her (presumably) Spanish last name.

[slohairt]

Dáibhid, Dáibhidh, and Daibhéid are other forms of David as well as Dáithí.

I don't think Dev used the 'Gaelicised' spelling of his surname (de Bhailéara) much, if at all, either. It was probably reserved for a few Irish language plaques, literature, or monuments.