U Dhammaloka

Irish monk of Myanmar

There is a the long and colourful history of relations between Myanmar and Ireland and the many Irish men and women that have played a role in Burmese affairs. Perhaps one of the most unusual was U Dhammaloka (whose original name is unknown for certain). Born to a poor family in Dublin in 1856, he migrated to the United States, made his way on the first trains, then travelled by steamship to Japan and finally ended up in Rangoon just...