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| Daniel O’Connell harnessed popular opinion for Repeal of the Union imposed by Britain on Ireland. Perhaps he lacked the eloquence and fortitude of a Farage or Gove, a Boris Johnson or a Theresa May, but when massed British artillery were deployed to prevent a peaceful, unarmed meeting of his supporters he called the whole thing off. O’Connell was an avowed utilitarian disciple of Jeremy Bentham, seeking the greatest happiness of the greatest number. It seems to me that the fruit of all his great talents and labours for almost 50 years was the greatest misery of the greatest number. One half of all the British Army’s regiments were deployed in Ireland when the potato failed to keep the abundance of food produced in Ireland from the mouths and bellies of the starving. Together with the Irish Constabulary. Britain’s Royal Navy was deployed to keep other food, including that sent by the Sultan of Turkey, out of human compassion to land in Ireland. TH | |||
John Redmond’s great ambition for Irishmen, stated in 1913 was that they be the shock troops of Empire and for Irish women that they sew socks for soldiers. When Asquith plotted Partition and kicked Home Rule into the long grass Redmond fooled tens of thousands of Irishmen into a war with peoples with whom they had no quarrel, nor whose defeat offered any gain to Ireland or humanity in general. Great numbers of Irishmen and great numbers of others were killed and maimed because of Redmond’s criminal and treacherous folly. What a thanks for the food ship sent by the Sultan of Turkey.
When Crown Forces, Constabulary, Specials, Army blocked access to justice in Derry the young Martin McGuinness played a man’s part in opposing them and when the chance of outflanking them was offered he still played a man’s part. It seems to me he never had a change of heart and that it was always in the right place. He was not one for vain or vainglorious gestures. His heart remains in Derry, unlike that of O’Connell which was removed from his body and sent to Rome.
“One half of all the British Army’s regiments were deployed in Ireland when the potato failed to keep the abundance of food produced in Ireland from the mouths and bellies of the starving.”
Sources ???
“Repeal of the Union imposed by Britain on Ireland.” This doesn’t make sense. The Union was imposed by Britain on Ireland and O’Connell’s ultimate aim was to Repeal it.
“Perhaps he lacked the eloquence and fortitude of a Farage or Gove, a Boris Johnson.” Quite a silly anology, Donal. The named individuals could not have laced O’Connell’s boots – he most certainly did not lack eloquence or fortitude.
“unlike that of O’Connell which was removed from his body and sent to Rome.” This was a wish of O’Connell’s. His heart though hasn’t been seen in a century – it went missing and was last seen in a church in Via Mazzarino.