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France celebrates de Gaulle's deep legacy on 50th anniversary of his death
I can't believe that it's been 50 years since de Gaulle left us!
He was truly a Giant from an Era of Giants.
https://www.france24.com/en/france/20201109-france-celebrates-de-gaulle-s-deep-legacy-on-50th-anniversary-of-his-death?fbclid=IwAR3DkF9TLs5ge1JdV8dvd7dRLmQ9PKxn9dwwFwij9ssbkrVoEzWu-gQZ2zE&ref=fb
I also never realized that he had an Irish ancestor!
...
Britain's wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, who helped de Gaulle set himself up as leader of the Free French, once joked that he constantly had to remind the French general that the enemy was Germany.
"If he would follow his own inclination, it would be England," said Churchill.
But even Churchill had no doubt that de Gaulle -- whose warrior Irish ancestor Owen McCartan had been hung, drawn and quartered by the English -- was a "great man".
...
Britain's wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, who helped de Gaulle set himself up as leader of the Free French, once joked that he constantly had to remind the French general that the enemy was Germany.
"If he would follow his own inclination, it would be England," said Churchill.
But even Churchill had no doubt that de Gaulle -- whose warrior Irish ancestor Owen McCartan had been hung, drawn and quartered by the English -- was a "great man".
...
More about those Irish roots: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/de-gaulle-s-irish-roots-traced-to-co-down-clan-with-military-prowess-1.1899741
Eta: The Irish Times article says that the ancestor was named Patrick, not Owen. They were brothers.
