JOE FODEY Shares with Us His Talk, at an Event Hosted by the Irish
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8 IRISH NATIONAL FORESTERS THE IRISH VOICE JANUARY 2016 JANUARY 2016 THE IRISH VOICE REVIEWS 9 1922, is said to have ‘dismissed Sematic Specialist at ORRECO lurch to the right in Irish political the Treaty out of hand’; Cusack and a graduate of both NUI development. And that the War stressed the inviolability of his Galway and UCD. She is an of Independence represented— oath to the Republic and Fahy Irish Research Fellow of the in some important respects—a asked the question, which UCD Humanities Institute and purge within the Irish Nationalist became the title of this her most recent publications movement and a suppressed thoroughly researched essay: include The West Must Wait: civil war of North and South. “Have we been playing at County Galway and the Irish Unhappy the Land is certain WILLING AND ABLE TO ASSIST Free State 1922-32. Republicanism?” to intrigue, challenge and cause JOE FODEY shares with us his talk, at an event hosted by the Irish Heritage Foundation, about the Irish National Foresters The first 25 years of the 20th widespread irritation in this period century in Ireland compel and I Years of Turbulence: The of particular historical reflection HE main problem in researching the history Woodwards to members on the sick list ensured proper inspire historians, researchers, Irish Revolution and its as we move into 2016. of the Irish National Foresters (INF) is the payment but also maintained contact between society and writers, more than any Aftermath is available online The fact that Kennedy doesn’t lack of a comprehensive archive of the and the member, so too did the commitment to attend other. That this should be the and at all good bookshops in think much of Coogan’s work society. We do, however, have the newspaper the funerals of members and their wives and thereby case is hardly surprising given both hardback and paperback becomes clear with his reference reports, in particularly, the Freeman’s add respectful dignity to the occasion. the vast confluence of significant formats to a discussion of Joel Mokyr’s Journal of Dublin and the Glasgow Observer. The We read also of individual and collective examples of national and international BILL HEANEY ‘agenda-setting’ book Why Foresters themselves often placed these reports, making fraternal behaviour. Dr Conway—whose commitment events, which had profound Ireland Starved. The discussion Tthem primary historical sources. to the people of the east end was well-known—took on YEARS OF political, social and military was part of a conference organised In the 1890s, Catholic Irishmen started to enter the the additional responsibility for trusteeship of the consequences. by the Queen’s University skilled trades and climb the social ladder in Scotland. Branch O’Connell. Thomas Kelly, the district treasurer TURBULENCE: THE In Ireland we had the Home Centre for Economic History in Irishmen and women however still provided mainly of Glasgow and West of Scotland refused payment for IRISH REVOLUTION Rule movement, the Gaelic Belfast at Eastertime 2014. The unskilled labour and lived in overcrowded conditions his services. The members of Branch Heart of Erin in AND ITS AFTERMATH revival, the rise of the Ulster author, who is the Emeritus in areas with the highest death rates. Letters to the the Cowcaddens collected a fund to pay off the dues of Edited by Diarmaid and Irish Volunteers, the 1916 Professor of Economic History Glasgow Observer in May and June 1888 express, members who were behind because of unemployment. Ferriter and Susannah Rising and the subsequent turmoil there, writes: “Against this graphically, the struggle of having to provide food, Riordan of the War of Independence, backdrop of busy academic clothing and shelter for a family of eight, as well as Symbols UCD Press Treaty and Civil War. activity may be found two works pay for the schooling of three children and this out of Fraternity was expressed also in the symbols of the £30/€40 Internationally, the landscape that take a radically different a wage of about £1 a week with a grocery bill of 12/6. society—the sash was a symbol of membership. It was included the changing nature of stance in the sense that they Sickness or unemployment meant dependence on the a matter of pride to process behind the banner of the THE year was 1922, the date the nation state, the rise of argue explicitly for the genocidal grudging and demeaning Poor Law, with its system of branch alongside one’s brethren and of prestige to be February 4. An editorial in organised labour and left-wing interpretation.” outdoor and workhouse relief, and on the charities. elected by one’s brethren to an office of the society. the Connacht Tribune ideologies, the suffragette The books, which he names, Celtic Football Club was formed in 1887 to provide Concerts, soirées, talks were regular features of INF captured the mood and the movement, as well as are The Famine Plot by Coogan funds for the charities of the Catholic parishes of the and the anniversary of the branch was a cause for minds of the people of many technological and and A United Ireland by Francis east end of Glasgow. celebration when members from other branches would Galway when it asked: telecommunication advances— Boyle. Kennedy gives short The benefit societies, however, provided an alternative. join in the festivities. “Where are the rejoicings all eclipsed by the conflagration shrift to The Famine Plot and With their bucolic names like ‘Foresters,’ archaic In 1887, the Glasgow Observer reported on the and jubilations of a liberty- that became the First World War. dismisses it in a curt sentence: offices like Chief Ranger, Woodward, and Beadle and commissioning a banner from E M O’Grady of Dublin loving and impulsive race, The Connacht Women’s UNHAPPY THE “The Famine Plot has received their anachronistic dress they might have appeared by Branch Thomas Moore, which required a special which has regained its Franchise League, based in LAND: THE MOST such a cool reception from quaint but they met a serious need. The 1884 Rule committee and fund. The banner was of ‘finest Irish freedom after seven-and-a- Galway city, was an important OPPRESSED PEOPLE scholars that there is little merit Book of Branch Heart of Erin, Cowcaddens, whose poplin’ and cost £25, and taking possession of the half centuries of bondage? As part of the suffragette movement EVER, THE IRISH? in pursuing it further.” rules are typical of the society as a whole during this banner was a cause for celebration. far as can be judged, they are and details of some of its most By Liam Kennedy This just adds insult to injury period, stated that the aim of the Society was: “The We have mentioned, that with the growth of the INF entirely absent.” prominent members are included Merrion Press for Coogan who recently came raising of money by contribution of members; entrance in Scotland, the Scots Foresters demanded more The approval of the Anglo- in Years of Turbulence. £17/€22.50 under fire from another academic, fees and donations.” independence. The Central Office had insisted that Irish Treaty met with little of Here some of Ireland’s most Professor Diarmaid Ferriter who This was in order to: “Pay weekly allowance to regalia, along with administrative materials and so on, the boisterous enthusiasm talented historians offer new LIAM Kennedy could start a savaged his most recent book in members when bodily sick; pay for the decent burial were to be purchased from Dublin. However the banner which normally marked local perspectives and insight into row in an empty house and a review in The Irish Times. of members and their lawful wives (and) pay for sup- of Branch Fr. McCluskey of Duntocher, the images of political events. The sought- Ireland’s revolutionary period that is not a bad reputation Kennedy’s questions will— plying medical attendance and medicines to members” which accompany this article, was created locally in after Republic seemed lost in from 1912-1923, giving a for a polemicist to have. It without doubt—cause a few 1897 by a local artist William Donnelly of Old Kilpatrick. small print and the mood amongst platform to many of the muted helps to sell books. heated arguments. He asks was Beginnings the people was one of relief voices of the revolution and You feel a fight coming on the catastrophe of the Great The INF—who had broken with the larger Ancient (Above) Scottish branches of the Irish National Foresters taking part in a procession. (Right) Processions rather than triumph when the elaborate on some of the immediately when uber Unionist Hunger really an Irish Order of Foresters in autumn 1877 over political and The INF banner of the St Mary’s Duntocher Branch The Foresters’ processions were also famous. The Treaty was endorsed by the Dáil. central, current debates on the and right-wing journalist Ruth Holocaust? Was the Ulster religious issues—held their first meeting in Dublin in ‘Irish Forester’s Gala’ in Blantyre, which featured the Historian Una Newell recalls revolutionary period. Dudley Edwards has this to say Covenant anything other than a August 1877 with six members present. The Freeman’s defeated because of fear of loss of Irish leadership of ‘labourer’ or ‘miner’ and a number were responsible 1887 and September 1888, Branch Wolfe Tone in Thomas Moore Banner, was described in detail in the Frank Fahy’s question: “Have This book’s strength stems about Professor Kennedy’s latest battle-cry for ethnic conflict? Journal tells us that in May 1878, James Gilday of the society.