The Development and Consolidation of the Gaeltacht Colony Rath Cairn, Co. Meath by Suzanne M. Pegley
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
( 3 NUI MAYNOOTH m il» » » « Mi Hutu The Development and Consolidation of the Gaeltacht Colony Rath Cairn, Co. Meath 1935-1948 by Suzanne M. Pegley Thesis for the degree of MLitt Department of Modern History National University of Ireland Maynooth Head of Department: Professor R. V. Comerford Supervisor of research: Dr Terence Dooley O ctober 2007 The Development and Consolidation of the Gaeltacht Colony Rath Cairn, Co. Meath 1935-1948 by Suzanne M. Pegley Abstract In 1935 a Gaeltacht Colony was created in the townland of Rath Cairn, Co Meath, when twenty-seven Irish speaking families, comprising 182 individuals, arrived at their new homes on fully equipped farms. After Fianna Fail had achieved an overall majority in the wake of the 1933 election, they turned to resolving the overcrowding and poverty in the west of Ireland. In the immediate post independent period the newly formed Irish state was anxious to establish an identity separate from the previous colonial power and language was one way to do it. By combining the land and language question, Fianna Fail dealt with both of the significant political issues of the time. This new development in migration, established by Fianna Fail, recognised that a huge political credibility would be achieved if they were to alleviate the congestion on farms in the western counties and spread the Irish language. Within the context of the wider land reform policies they perceived that migration was the most effective method of approach and they implemented a suggestion made some four years previously in the Gaeltacht Commission Report of 1927. This was ground breaking social engineering and against some opposition, fertile grasslands of the midlands were acquired and the land divided into small farms which would become the first Gaeltacht colony. Despite the expense and attention to detail the project, as this thesis will show, was fundamentally flawed. Thesis for the degree of MLitt, Department of Modern History National University of Ireland Maynooth Head of Department: Professor R. V. Comerford Supervisor of research: Dr Terence Dooley October 2007 Table of Contents page Acknowledgements i M aps ' ii Photographs iii Abbreviations iii Introduction l Chapter One: Migration and the historical context of land division 11 Chapter Two: Fianna Fail’s role in the development of the Gaeltacht colonies 41 Chapter Three: The consolidation and development of Rath Cairn 1935-48 • 57 Chapter Four: Changing attitudes and policy adjustments of the 1940s. 131 Conclusion 167 Bibliography 172 i Acknowledgements The writing of this thesis could not have been accomplished without the encouragement and support of a vast circle of friends, family and fellow researchers. My supervisor Dr. Terence Dooley and his book ‘Land for the People’ The Land Question in Independent Ireland have provided the signposts which indicated the direction of this project. Other individuals who have been of invaluable assistance were members of the Rath Cairn community. Sarah Keane who came up from Connemara with her parents as a young child was very generous with her insight into the first years of the colony. Padraic Mac Donncha the manager of Rath Cairn Co operative, deputy manager Padraic McGrath and Bartle O’Curraoin, grandsons of the original migrants, were always willing to answer my questions. I would also like to thank Conor O’Brien and Cillian de Gris who assisted in translating passages in the books in Irish I used as invaluable resources. Appreciation also must be extended to Padraic O'Confhaola who translated letters that accompanied official memos. The personnel at the National Library and National Archives were very helpful and professional at all times. The staff of the National Archives, where I spent many weeks, I would like to single out for particular mention; at the reader’s desk were Christy Allen and David O’Neill and in the stacks Ken Martin and Brendan Martin. The Archivist whom I am most grateful to is Brian Donnelly. Responsible for acquisitions he has an encyclopaedic memory for items retained by the NAI. It was he who unearthed the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Lands files, without these two sources this thesis would have been merely an account. Ideas need practical execution and I cannot thank Brian enough. I am most appreciative of Professor David Seth Jones who, following a chance meeting in the NAI, shared his expertise and suggested a number of sources. My fellow students have been immensely encouraging as I hope I have been to their work. I want to refer in particular to Sinead Kelly, Michael Keys, Stephen O’Connor and Colette Jordan. Personal friends such as Patricia Donohoe, Linda Byrne and Mary Cullen have also been of wonderful practical help. I must also acknowledge my son Scott and my long suffering husband Charlie, although he thought I would become genetically integrated into my computer, they stoically put up with my distraction. This thesis is dedicated to the people of Rath Cairn and in particular to Eithoin O’Curraoin who sat enthralled as her father Bartle and I talked of her family’s past, and the significance in the making of Ireland’s identity. Suzanne Pegley, Maynooth 2007 Maps page County Meath, area of Rath Cairn. 2 Congested Districts 1909. 9 Rath Cairn & Kilbride C1912. 80 Rath Cairn & Kilbride CI945. 83 County Galway. 89 Photographs Aerial View of Rath Cairn. 3 Muintir na Gaeltachta Committee. 60 Connemara Delegation. 62 Irish Press, 16 January 1935. 76 Land Commission cottage Rath Cairn 2006. 77 Steward's house, Kilbride. 81 Potential migrants visit Tara. 85 Land Commission Application form. 87 Arrival of Migrants, Irish Press, 13 April 1935. 95 The Keane family's stone house. 97 Keane Family. 97 Group outside Keane's house. 99 Monica Keane in Rath Cairn. 99 Kitchen dresser in Galway. too The Keane’s dresser in 2007. too Coleman Keane with the harrow. 101 Harrow in 2006. 101 Irish Independent, 15 July 1935. 104 The Keane family cart. 114 Hay making. 120 Labour News, 3 April 1937. 140 The fields of Rath Cairn 2007. 171 Tables Table 1.1 Migration from the Gaeltacht 26 Table 1.2 Irish Speakers 38 Table 2.1 Untenanted Land 48 Table 3.1A, B, C- Migrants from Co Galway 90-92 Table 4.1 Agricultural Population 144 Table 4.2 Agricultural Population on holdings up to thirty Acres 145 iii Abbreviations CDB Congested Districts Board DA Department of Agriculture DT Department of Taoiseach EPO Employment Period Order GAA Gaelic Athletic Association LC Land Commission MCCA Meath County Committee of Agriculture NAI National Archives of Ireland NLI National Libraiy of Ireland NFA National Farmer’s Association NUI National University of Ireland OED Oxford English Dictionary UA Unemployment Assistance UCD University College Dublin Introduction Ireland her own- Ireland her own, and aCC therein, from the sod to the shy. The sod of Ireland fo r the people o f Ireland to have and to hold from Qod alone who gave it- to have and to hold to them and their heirs forever, without suit or service, fa ith or fealty, rent or render, or any power unto heaven.1 In 1935 a Gaeltacht Colony was created in the townland of Rath Cairn, Co Meath, when twenty-seven Irish speaking families arrived at their new homes on fully equipped farms. After Fianna Fail had achieved an overall majority in the wake of the 1933 election, they turned to resolving the overcrowding and poverty in the west of Ireland. In the immediate post independent period the newly formed Irish state was anxious to establish an identity separate from the previous colonial power and language was one way to do it. By combining the land and language question, Fianna Fail dealt with both of the significant political issues of the time. This new development in migration, established by Fianna Fail, recognised that a huge political credibility would be achieved if they were to alleviate the congestion on farms in the western counties and spread the Irish language. Within the context of the wider land reform policies they perceived that migration was the most effective method of approach and they implemented a suggestion made some four years previously in the Gaeltacht Commission Report of 1927. This was ground breaking social engineering and against some opposition, fertile grasslands of the midlands were acquired and the land divided into small farms which would become the first Gaeltacht colony. Despite the expense and attention to detail the project, as this thesis will show, was fundamentally flawed. However, in 1985 Rath Cairn celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. The event, while significant for any community, was particularly remarkable for a tiny gathering of small farms created, in one of only five colonies, by the state, fourteen years after independence. This thesis will address the setting up of the first Gaeltacht colony of Rath Cairn in greater detail than previously. In the past, other scholars have only examined Rath Cairn and internal migration on a general level, without the minutia of detail that will be included here. Research on this project has looked 1 Fintan Lalor, quoted in Fianna FailArd Fheis pamphlet 1927 (University College Dublin Archive P176). 1 at how the decision to establish colonies operated in practice and how it impacted on the chosen migrant families. The experiment has traditionally been seen as having being prompted by a bicycle journey, organised by Mhuinntir na Gaeltachta, from Connemara to Dublin on 29 March 1934, that culminated in a meeting the following day with Eamon de Valera, then President of the Executive Council.2 Ultimately, at the Ard Fheis in the following November, Fianna Fail announced its intention to set up a Gaeltacht colony near Athboy; but it would be several weeks before Rath Cairn was specifically mentioned.