HISTORICAL DISTORTIONISTS by Donal Kennedy

When President Obama visited Ireland in 2011 he was briefed by distortionists . Those who wrote or heard his speeches may  have imagined that Daniel O’Connell was the only Irishman supporting the rights of black people. But  from  the United Irishmen and women in the 1790s through John Boyle O’Reilly* in the 19th Century to Mike Quill**in later times there have been numerous Irish Republican champions of universal human rights.

The following letter, published in THE IRISH EXAMINER on September 18 th 2013 attacked the humbuggery of one commentator –

“Professor John A Murphy has called on the Government to honour Daniel O’Connell, whom he deems the father of democracy in Ireland, with a national holiday.

Now, when the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Dublin Metropolitan Police, which attempted to strangle Irish democracy at birth, are commemorated and honoured by Irish ministers and the Garda Commissioner, it is heartening that a Professor of the National University of Ireland and former luminary of Seanad Eireann, has a good word to say for democracy.

But it is distressing to learn that the Professor imagines that O’Connell, who was a great man, first raised the banner of democracy in Ireland.

Born in 1775, and but 13 years old when the Bastille was stormed in Paris, O’Connell, who was studying in St. Omer, was not exactly enthused. The Revolution in France inspired many people in Ireland to declare themselves democrats and even celebrate July 14, in Belfast, with fireworks.

Those democrats, some of whom had embraced (the principle) of the emancipation. of black slaves before O’Connell was politically active, united in the hope of establishing democracy in Ireland through a reform of Parliament, and, eventually, through a revolution in which many of them lost their lives, but not as many lives as were lost in the wake of the failure of O’Connell’s career in the 1840s.

O’Connell was not even the first to campaign for Catholic relief from political and social restrictions that arose from the Penal Code.

Theobald Wolfe Tone was partially successful in his work for the Catholic Committee in the  early 1790s (which brought some relief for Catholics.

It’s a pity that most public holidays in Ireland honour the banks, and that the historic Irish Parliament in College Green, an icon of Irish democracy for over a century, remains in the hands of a bank, which was given it for half its construction price, when .members. of that Irish Parliament sold their country.

By all means have a public holiday to honour all who campaigned for democracy in Ireland, from Tone and Emmet, Davis, Lalor, O’Connell and Mitchel, down to our own day.

All of them aspired to be ‘Liberators’, but it is too  early to proclaim ‘free at last, thank God ALmighty, we are free at last’ , for. Emmet’s Epitaph is yet to be written.

Those who cherish Ireland’s contribution. to Europe’s heritage might look to the European nations whose public holidays are, in the main, Christian ones , while, until very recently in Ireland, most workers in  Ireland had to slip away. with a nod and a wink to their employers for an half-hour to attend Mass.

The only universally acknowledged Christian festival that is a public holiday in Ireland is Christmas Day.

All this 184 years after O’Connell won Catholic Emancipation for us and 76 years after the electorate enacted a Constitution drafted by the allegedly sectarian Eamon de Valera.”

Donal Kennedy
September 2013.
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>>> When President Obama visited Ireland in 2011 he was briefed by distortionists . Those who read his speeches might have imagined that Daniel O’Connell was the only Irishman supporting the rights of black people. From the United Irishmen and women in the 1790s through John Boyle O’Reilly* in the 19th Century t Mike Quill**in later times there have been numerous Irish Republican champions of universal human rights.                                                                                                                                     The following letter, published in THE IRISH EXAMINER on September 18 th 2013 attacked the humbuggery of one commentator –                                                                                                           “Professor John A Murphy has called on the Government to honour Daniel O’Connell, whom he deems the father of democracy in Ireland, with a national holiday.                                                         Now, when the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Dublin Metropolitan Police, which attempted to strangle Irish democracy at birth, are commemorated and honoured by Irish ministers and the Garda Commissioner, it is heartening that a Professor of the National University of Ireland and former luminary of Seanad Eireann, has a good word to say for democracy.                                       But it is distressing to learn that the Professor imagines that O’Connell, who was a great man, first raised the banner of democracy in Ireland.                                                                                         Born in 1775, and but 13 years old when the Bastille was stormed in Paris, O’Connell, who was studying in St. Omer, was not exactly enthused.                                                                                     The Revolution in France inspired many people in Ireland to declare themselves democrats and even celebrate July 14, in Belfast, with fireworks.                                                                                   Those democrats, some of whom had embraced (the principle) of the emancipation. of black slaves before O’Connell was politically active, united in the hope of establishing democracy in Ireland through a reform of Parliament, and, eventually, through a revolution in which many of them lost their lives, but not as many lives as were lost in the wake of the failure of O’Connell’s career in the 1840s.                                                                                                                                     O’Connell was not even the first to campaign for Catholic relief from political and social restrictions that arose from the Penal Code.                                                                                           Theobald Wolfe Tone was partially successful in his work for the Catholic Committee in the  early 1790s (which brought some relief for Catholics).                                                                              It’s a pity that most public holidays in Ireland honour the banks, and that the historic Irish Parliament in College Green, an icon of Irish democracy for over a century, remains in the hands of a bank, which was given it for half its construction price, when .members. of that Irish Parliament sold their country.                                                                                                                   By all means have a public holiday to honour all who campaigned for democracy in Ireland, from Tone and Emmet, Davis, Lalor, O’Connell and Mitchel, down to our own day.                                   All of them aspired to be ‘Liberators’, but it is too  early to proclaim ‘free at last, thank God ALmighty, we are free at last’ , for. Emmet’s Epitaph is yet to be written.                                           Those who cherish Ireland’s contribution. to Europe’s heritage might look to the European nations whose public holidays are, in the main, Christian ones , while, until very recently in Ireland, most workers in  Ireland had to slip away. with a nod and a wink to their employers for an half-hour to attend Mass.                                                                                                                           The only universally acknowledged Christian festival that is a public holiday in Ireland is Christmas Day.
>>  All this 184 years after O’Connell won Catholic Emancipation for us and 76 years after the electorate enacted a Constitution drafted by the allegedly sectarian Eamon de Valera.”
>> Donal Kennedy
>> September 2013.
>>                                 * John Boyle O’Reilly 1840-1890 Fenian. Sentenced to death for High                       Treason 1866 commuted to transportation for life to Australia. Escaped from                     Fremantle 1869 landed Boston, Mass. 1870 became Editor of Boston Pilot. Championed  the rights of Afro Americans, Native Americans and all mankind.                                                                               M.                                                                                                                                                                 **MIchael “Red Mike” QUILL.       1905-1966 born  Kilharvan, Co Kerry. Despatch rider for IRA during TAN WAR. In August 1922 helped re-take Kenmare from pro- “Treaty” forces. After defeat in Civil War landed in New York in 1926. Found work in Subway under appalling conditions. Helped found Transport Union Workers of America and became its leader. He opposed anti-black and anti-Semitic practices which were rife from the very start and publicly stood up to racists, including within his own Union and white society generally.   On Quill’s death , Martin Luther King said that Mike Quill was “A FIGHTER FOR DECENT THINGS ALL HIS LIFE – IRISH INDEPENDENCE, LABOR ORGANISATION AND RACIAL EQUALITY?