Richie is joined by broadcast journalist and author Tony Gosling. In a wide ranging conversation, the guys discuss how the Irish Land League movement of the late 19th century could inspire a huge change in Britain today, the UN Gaza resolutions and whether Israel will pay any attention to them, the trials and tribulations of the British royal family, the Nazi roots of the European Union and more.
https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/richieallen/episodes/2024-03-28T11_20_21-07_00
https://twitter.com/TonyGosling
www.thisweek.org.uk
Irish Land League
The Life of Michael Davitt
The hero and patriot Michael Davitt was born in Straide County Mayo on the 25th March 1846, during the Great Famine. He was the second of five children, four of whom were born in Straide; Mary in 1841, Anne in 1848, and Sabina in 1850. Michael’s only brother James was born in Haslingden on the 30th June 1853 and died two years later on the 12th of March 1855.
His father and mother, Martin Davitt and Catherine Kielty were tenants on the John Knox estate at Straide. Upon being evicted from their home in Straide, the family was forced to go to the workhouse in Swinford. After Catherine discovered the rules of the workhouse required Michael to be separated from her, the family immediately left the workhouse and like many other evicted families at this time, decided to emigrate in search of a better life.
Arriving in Liverpool by boat from Dublin, they set out on foot to Haslingden, almost 50 miles away. Haslingden was an area of England where locals from the Straide area had already found work.
Davitt’s father managed to find temporary lodging for his family. However, after only two days here, they were evicted for a second time, when it was discovered that Michael had the measles. Davitt’s father then set up a tent against a wall and James Bonner, a worker from County Armagh, took the sick child and family into his house, even though he had four small children of his own.
The census of March 1851 shows the Davitts as lodgers in Owen Egan’s house in Wilkinson St. At that time, there were a total of fifteen people living in the small house. Later the Davitts’ succeeded in renting at Rock Hall, where families from the west of Ireland lived. Michael’s father and mother found work as hawkers, and a year later Martin found work as a farm labourer. Martin Davitt was literate in English and wrote letters home for other families whilst also teaching them to read and write in English.
Michael’s Childhood and Early Work Experiences
At just nine years of age, Michael Davitt started working in a cotton mill at Ewood Bridge, on the outskirts of Haslingden. He passed himself off as being over thirteen years old and worked 60 hours a week. His pay was 2s.6d, a week.
He later moved on to Whittaker and then to Stellfoxe’s Victoria Mill near Baxenden, outside Haslingden. It was here that he got his right arm caught and badly injured in a machine on 8th May 1857, resulting in amputation.
After Michael Davitt recovered from his operation, John Dean a cotton manufacturer, became his benefactor and Davitt got a second chance at education in the local Wesleyan school run by George Poskett, which he attended for 4 years.
The Fenians
The Land Reform Movement
The Formation of the Irish Land League
Gladstone’s Land Act 1881
International Social Justice Campaigner
GAA & Glasgow Celtic Patron
https://www.michaeldavittmuseum.ie/history/
