No one interested in Irish studies during the past 30 years will have missed the work of Patrick Rafroidi. Whether it be romantic poets or the contemporary novel or theatre and drama, he had much to say that was provocative, lively and always readable. His contribution to Irish studies was not only scholarly in the best and most strenuous sense but also generous, lighthearted and enlivening. Because he was such a friend to the Irish, the memory of Patrick Rafroidi well suits the general theme of this book.