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| − | == (1) The Fans of Ireland==
| + | #REDIRECT [[Ireland]] [[Category:redirect]] |
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| − | This is the ordinary sense and includes all [[fans]] living in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
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| − | But as long as there is [[fandom]], the most important sense will be:
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| − | == (2) '''IF''' = Walt Willis, James White, Bob Shaw and Others==
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| − | On August 26, 1947, the teen-aged [[James White]] and [[Walt Willis]], who was in his late 20s, met in Belfast, Northern Ireland and discovered that they were both [[fans]] who collected the [[prozines]]. Soon Willis acquired a [[typewriter]] and started writing amateur [[sf]]. The following year, he published his first [[fanzine]], ''[[Slant]]'', which he produced on a printing press with hand-set type. ([[James White]]'s first printed words were published in ''[[Slant]] 4'' when, in an article critical of [[E. E. Smith]], he inserted "[These opinions of the great Smith are not those of the typesetter, J. White]".)
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| − | In time, Irish Fandom attracted other [[fans]], including [[Bob Shaw]], [[John Berry]], [[George Charters]], [[Madeline Willis]], [[Peggy White]], and [[Sadie Shaw]]. Irish Fandom was also known as '''IF''', and the [[Wheels of IF]] were Willis, White, and Shaw.
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| − | The following year, they got in touch with the [[British Fantasy Library]] and [[Willis]] found an abandoned small printing press, and he and [[White]], began to typeset the first issue of ''[[Slant]]''. (Halfway down the first page, they ran out of i's, so White produced his first woodcut.) It took months to typeset ''Slant'', but it didn't get mailed until near the end of 1948 because Willis and White couldn't find the names and addresses of enough people who might like it.
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| − | Willis quickly became well-known as a [[fan writer]] (his column, "[[The Harp That Once Or Twice...]]" in ''[[Quandry]]'' was very well-received) and [[fanzine]] publisher and by 1952, [[WAW With the Crew in '52]], the first [[fan fund]] was organized to bring him to [[Chicon II]], the 1952 [[Worldcon]].
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| − | 1952-53 also saw the beginning of ''[[Hyphen]]'' and the last issues of ''[[Slant]]'', marking a shift from fairly [[sercon]] to a more [[fannish]] and light sort of [[fanzine]]. ([[Harry Warner]] comments that "[[White]], [[Willis]] and [[Shaw]] discovered it was more fun to talk than to publish.") 1952 also saw James White's first professional sale (to [[Ted Carnell]]) and during the 50s he (proudly) added the title of "[[vile pro]]".
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| − | The early 50s were when [[Bob Shaw]] and [[John Berry]] joined IF, and it also saw [[British fans]] such as [[Chuck Harris]] and [[ATom]] become remote adjuncts (at least). (ATom produced a stream of creative cartoons for ''Hyphen'', and Harris wrote. (One of the more [[fannish]] early incidents was a fake [[feud]] between White and Harris over the rejection of a story Harris had submitted to ''[[Slant]]'' (see the [[Harris-White Feud]]).
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| − | Probably the culminating event of the ''annus mirabilis'' of 1952 was the discovery (it had to have pre-existed as a Platonic form) of [[ghoodminton]], the ultimate [[fannish]] game which could be played only in the attic of [[Oblique House]], where Walt and [[Madeline Willis]] lived.
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| − | Scarcely less important was the 1954 publication of ''[[The Enchanted Duplicator]]'' by Walt Willis and [[Bob Shaw]].
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| − | Irish Fandom built and then retained an almost legendary status in [[fandom]], combining fascinating people, great [[fan writing]], a touch of exoticism, and some remarkable [[pro]] careers. From the 50s on, [[fans]] from around the world went out of their way to visit Belfast (not otherwise in those days on anyone's list of tourist destinations!) to meet Irish Fandom.
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| − | Later noteworthy events included the 1955 wedding of [[James White]] with [[Peggy White]], a second [[fan fund]], the [[Tenth Anniversary Willis Fund]] to bring [[Willis]] back to North America, and the departure from [[Oblique House]] in 1965. Their [[fannish]] Christmas cards were sent to many fans in North America and Britain.
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| − | Besides the [[Willis]] [[fan funds]], members of Irish Fandom received real formal recognition:
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| − | * 1986 -- [[Bob Shaw]] was [[Toastmaster]] at [[Confederation]]
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| − | * 1992 -- [[Walt Willis]] was [[Fan GoH]] at [[MagiCon]]
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| − | * 1996 -- [[James White]] was [[GoH]] at [[L.A.con III]]
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| − | {{group | start=1947}}
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| − | {{multiple}}
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| − | [[Category:ireland]] | |
