This book's dust jacket has a picture of Arthur Griffith and the Hungarian author describes the work as a study in parallels metaphorically "all falling out of Griffith's cloak".
The first chapter reviews written evidence of visitors between the two countries from medieval times. Daniel O'Connell loomed large in 1830s' and 40s' Hungary. Indeed, Dr Kabdebo produces extensive evidence of Hungarian interest in Ireland in this period. Reciprocally, the Young Irelanders Smith O'Brien, Mitchel and Doheny discovered similarities between the Irish and Hungarian independence struggles, Smith O'Brien actually visiting Hungary in 1861. The 1867 Ausgleich (Compromise) that formed the Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy was reported in detail in Ireland.
At this point, Griffith enters the story. His Resurrection of Hungary - a Parallel for Ireland was published in 1904 and led to the first, non-violent Sinn FΘin. Dr Kabdebo explores the Resurrection in detail, especially its Hungarian sources and Griffith's knowledge of these. Chapter II presents some parallels between Ireland and Hungary in the "Year of Revolutions", 1848. A short chapter, it is in the form of a lecture delivered to the Hungarian embassy in Dublin.
Chapter III looks at reports of the 1916 Rising in the Hungarian press. At the time, Hungary, as part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, was at war with Britain but the country's press was remarkably respectful towards the British. The chapter is a chronological trawl through what are termed Hungary's most influential and objective papers of the time. The reporting became more sympathetic as time went on and the reports of the executions of the Rising's leaders were very anti-British.
Roger Casement's capture and trial got extensive press coverage and Chapter V is entitled "Hungary and the two Roger Casements". It is co-written with Dr Seamas ╙ Siochβin, who is preparing a book on the more famous Roger Casement. Casement senior helped Louis Kossuth and other Hungarian nationalists in 1849. His son was aware of this and his reading of The Resurrection of Hungary strengthened his already growing commitment to the idea of Irish independence.
In Dr Kabdebo's survey of how Hungarians wrote about Irish independence, we learn that Casement continued to attract attention long after his death. The 1937 Irish constitution received fairly detailed Hungarian attention and Hungary's centre-left press supported Irish neutrality in 1939, at a time when its own neutrality was in great danger.
The book's final chapter, on Irish reactions to the Hungarian rising of 1956 (a reaction summed up in the chapter's title, "Our hearts go out to them", taken from a speech by the then taoiseach, John A. Costello), is in some ways its best.
Thomas Kabdebo was himself a participant in the events of that historic and terrible autumn. He witnessed the massacre, by state security police, of 600 unarmed civilians in Budapest. Friends of his were killed or imprisoned for long periods; 180,000 refugees left Hungary after the rising, hundreds of these settling in Ireland, Dr Kabdebo eventually becoming one himself.
Our country has been the better for his and his compatriots' coming, a lesson, perhaps, in how we should approach our current wave of immigrants.
Brian Maye is the author of Arthur Griffith, published by Griffith College Publications