New land league an insult to memory of michael davitt

ACTIVISTS calling themselves the New Land League, who claim to have taken on the mantle of Michael Davitt, have been disowned by the modern day Michael Davitt Society, writes Tom Shiel.

The Michael Davitt Memorial Association was set up in Straide some years ago to honour and promote the ideas of the 19th century Mayo man who, despite physical disability, fought long and hard on behalf of tenant farmers.

Nancy Smyth, present chairperson of the association, said at the weekend she’s ‘horrified’ that Davitt’s revered name has been hijacked by activists, some of them acting on behalf of formerly wealthy individuals and families who had lost millions.

“The present situation bears no resemblance to the overwhelmingly impoverished circumstances which tenant farmers found themselves in some 135 years ago,” Ms. Smyth stated.

She went on: “One cannot compare the conditions which are being experienced now with the suffering endured by the tenant farmers and their families. What’s happening now is an insult to all those who campaigned all those years ago for land justice.”

The latter-day league was founded two years ago by its leader, Jerry Beades. Mr. Beades disrupted an Allsops auction in Dublin that included farms that had been seized because of unpaid loans.

Asked for his thoughts on the new Land League, Dublin based Fr. Tom Davitt, who is a grandson of the founder of the original Land League, said he had ‘no thoughts whatsoever’ on the matter.