History Studies University ofLimerick History Society Journal Volume 5 2004 Table of Contents Preface History Studies is a referred publication of the University Editorial!AcknowledgementIForeword 2 of Limerick History Society and is published annually. It Politics, policy and history; history teaching in Irish 3 is registered with the Irish International Standard Serial secondary schools 1922 - 70 Number (ISSN) Centre at the National Library of John O'Callaghan Ireland. The white woman's business: A look at the influence of 16 British women on the decolonisation process and their prominent role in British imperial history Cover design by Jennifer McCaffrey and Nora Deirdra McCracken McGillicuddy, Limerick School of Art and Design, Limerick Institute ofTechnology. Ne""town Pery - the antithesis to Corporation corruption 28 and the birth ofa new city in eighteenth century Limerick The cover incorporates the concept of past, present and Jennljer Afoore future, which is depicted, firstly by the use of the 'A very brisk month ofcanvassing and caucusing' 50 Buddhist symbol Aum. The idea is secondly represented Episcopal appointments in the diocese ofLimerick by three illustrative heads looking in different directions. 1825- 1917 They symbolise the search for history by past, present Mal/hew Tobin and future historians. A history ofseafood in Irish cuisine and culture 61 Mdirtln Mac Con lomaire Copyright © by the contributors listed herein and History Internment, the IRA and the Lawless Case 77 Studies, 2004, including all bibliographical references. in Ireland 1957 - 61 John Maguire No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in Conquered lands: The manifestation ofMacNamaras' 101 a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any Clare cI250 - c 1500 means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording Larna Maloney or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Notes on contributors 116 University ofLimerick History Society. lnformation on the History Society, University ofLimerick 117 Printed by Snap Printing LTD, 3 Mount Kennett, Dock Call for papers 118 Road, Limerick. ISSN 1393 - 7782. Preface On behalf ofthe faculty of the Department ofHistory, and as Patron ofthe Univcrsity of Limerick History Society, I would like to v,'eJcome you to volume five of our journal, History Studies. The publication ofthis collection of essays is a landmark for the society which was established in 1997 by students from the first intake of the BA in History, Politics, Sociology and Social Studies. The society endeavours to provide students with a range of opportunities to explore their interest in history in depth and outside the formal curriculum. Over the past seven years, the society has organised numerous guest lectures, tours to locations ofhistorical significance, quizzes and re-enaetmcnts ofevents and practices. This rare enthusiasm has engaged both undergrnduate and postgraduate students and won praise from the Students Union. The History Society has also supported the publication ofthis journal, a flagship prc;ect entailing the thankless and often difficult task of fund raising. Such activities require detailed planning which the society's committee and its journal sub-<:ommittee have willingly undertaken each year. This latest success is a testimony to their dedication and ongoing commitment to the promotion ofhistory as a discipline within and beyond the university. Finally, I wish to thank Dec;lan Jackson, John Maguire and Jennifer Moore, the editors of volume of five of the History Studies, who have done a magnificent job in producing this edition. I hope you, the reader, will enjoy the journal Wld leam from the essays. Or Bemadette WhelWl Head, Department ofHistory Patron, University of Limerick History Society Editorial Politics, policy and histor)'; history teaching in Irish It is with great pleasure that the editors present volume five of His/ory Studies, the Hcondary schools 1922-70 journal of the History Society of the University of Limerick. It is our opinion that this volume marks a watershed in the life of this journal. The strength and quaJity of the articles is selfevident. John O'Callaghan In this volume we are delighted to publish work from contributors across a broad spectnJm of academia; encompassing undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels. At the risk of striking an arrogant note, the articles contained within volume This article examines the role of history teaching in Irish secondary schools in the five have reached new heights in respect ofdiversity, content and V>Titing style. The editing of this volume was both rewarding and entertaining. To our period 1922-70. It assesses what objectives were the most important in history contributors we are most grateful for their insight and generosity. It is our hope that teaching and what interests school history curricula were designed to serve. The brave roung scholars will continue to contribute to our journal. Without them we would not be writing this editorial. Bravo! emphasis is on the political, cultural, social and economic factors that detennined the Declan Jackson John Maguire ]ennifer Moore content of the history curriculum and its development. The primary focus is on the Acknowledgements polities and policy of history teaching, including the respective contributions of We would like to thank the following without which this edition of IlislOry Swdies church and state to the fonnulation of the history programmes. It is argued that a could not have been produced. The Department of History, University of Limerick, the University of Limerick Foundation and the Dean of Graduate Studies, University particular view oflreland's past as a Gaelic, Catholic and nationalist one infonned the ofLimerick. ideas of policy makers and thus provided the basis of state education policy, and Dr. Bemadelle Whelan and Dr. John lA>gan have provided invaluable support during the preparation of this volume. Without their assistance Volume 5 would not history teaching specifically. The conclusion drawn is that history teaching was used have seen the light ofday. by elite interest groups, namely the state and the chureh, in the senrice of their own Finally, heart felt thanks to the President of the University of Limerick, Professor Roger Downer. His unflinching encouragement to this volume and the interests. It was used to justify the state's existence and employed as an instnunent of previous numbers has been both influential and pivotal. religious education. History was exploited in the pursuit of the objectives of the The combined efforts ofall these people has ensured the continued success of thisjoumal. cultural revival movement, being used to legitimise the restoration of Irish as a spoken language. Foreword The landscape of history is a nJgged and uneven one, but not one that the historian The Dail Commission on Secondary Education sat from 24 September 1921 to 7 should be afraid to explore. While some are content to stick to the well-worn path of December 1922 when it presented its recommendations to the Free State Minister for historical thought with its famous landmarks and turning points, others prefer to rummage among the undergrowth to find their own trails. It is precisely this that the Education, Eoin MacNeill. Its purpose, according to Frank Fahy of the Ministry for University of Limerick History Society aims to promote - a more active interest in Education, was to detennine how best education could be used to aid the revival of history, be)'ond the confines offonnal learning. We are fully confident that History Studies fulfils this aim and are ullerly 'the ancient life of Ireland as a Gaelic state, Gaelic in language, and Gaelic and proud of our journal, which is the only one in Ireland to be produced entirely by Christian in its ideals'.I The report of the Commission recommended that Irish, students. We wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our hard-working and capable 2 editing staff, Declan Jackson, John Maguire and Jennifer Moore, while we remain history and geography should constitute the Gaelic core of the curricuJum. The indebted to our patrons, Dr. Bemadelle Whelan and John u,gan, for their ongoing proposal to place Irish at the centre ofthe curriculum was a radical departure from the support. Finally, the Society would like to extend its gratitude to atl those who contributed to our journal and assisted in its production. system in operation under the Intennediate Education Board. Equally radical was the The History Society hopes that our readers enjoy the broad range of engaging proposal that geography and history should be compulsory and have an Irish articles trapped within the pages of this journal, and we are convinced that though they may satisfy an immediate hunger, they will ultimately leave you yearning for orientation. more. Emma Stafford (Auditor) Eamonn Gardiner (Secretary) I Tlme.f Educ(Jliqn SlIpplemem, I October 1nl. l!MU Commiuion qnSecondQry Educ(JIlon, (unpublished report, mimeographed io Library ofthe Department of Education]. 2 3 9 Patrick Pearse was the foremost pre-independence pioneer of Irish-Ireland to make children disregard that they were lrish. Tiemey believed that the very education. Pearse fits Scan Farren's profile of the idoologue of indigenous culture as purpose of a free Irish state \-"ould be to forge an Ireland through education that linked lo an alternative to that disseminated by the colonial power,J Pearse looked forward to the Gaelic state of the past to what he envisaged as the Christian