On 16th August 1879, the National Land
League of Mayo was formed by Michael Davitt. On October 21st the Irish National
Land League was founded in Dublin. Charles Stewart Parnell was President and
Davitt one of the Secretaries. A national campaign of withholding rents, social
and political agitation, and Parliamentary action began. Davitt himself was
elected to Westminster. During the three years of the Land War, despite the
jailing of Davitt and others, the Land League secured the “Three F’s” – Fair
Rent, Fixity of Tenure (the right not to be easily evicted), and Free Sale.
The Land Leaguers had demonstrated the
power of the united action of the poor to achieve real change that improved
their lives. They blended familiar methods with new strategies and ways of thinking,
and broke the dominance of the landlords. Davitt later wrote the history of the
Land League revolution. He called it, The Fall of Feudalism (1904). After the
Land War, the transfer of the land to
the people was inevitable.
On Wednesday the 3rd of December 2014 the Mayo branch of the League is to be launched once again, 135 years after it was originally formed by Michael davitt. The launch takes place in the McWilliam Hotel, Claremorris at 8.30pm. Land League West plan a pre-launch picket at the Taoiseach's constituency offices in Castlebar at midday on the day of the launch.
Michael Davitt (above), founder of the Mayo Land League, 1879
There is little doubt that the seriousness of Ireland's predicament today is no less than in 1879. Today we live in an Ireland where the banks are the absent landlords, extortionate mortgage repayments have replaced extortionate rents, and the threat of eviction is ever present.
Gerard O'Boyle and Edward Brennan are some of the local people hosting the event and a large turn out is expected. For further information call Gerry or Eddie on 0862190609....
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