Edition Bobbett2. Speeches and statements by Elizabeth F. Bobbett

1936 Gorey, Meeting of the United Farmers’ Protection Association

Source: Wicklow People, 27.06.1936

Miss Elizabeth F. Bobbett, honorary Secretary and organiser for the County Wicklow of the association, said that she was glad to see such a good attendance there that day, and that the ladies from Gorey and district were interesting themselves. They were heartily welcome. They would be a great advantage to the organisation. They had in their branch of the organisation in the county Wicklow a good few ladies attached to the organisation, and especially in the Barndarrig area, where the ladies were taking a great interest in matters agricultural. If the members up there were not doing their part and going quick enough then the ladies gave them a push on.

Their organisation in county Wicklow was going on very well. The people took a great interest in it, as they had now realised that an organisation of that kind was necessary to redress their many grievances. Their organisation in County Wicklow was started in the year 1930. It was non-political. They had 31’000 members in the different counties. They had 18 central branches in 18 counties, and there were in addition other branches in districts in these counties as well. They were doing very good work.

The first thing that they did after starting the association was to seek relief for farmers as regards frozen loans in the banks. In April, 1933, they had a conference with the directors of a joint stock bank in Dublin, where the matter of the frozen loans was discussed. Their deputation made it very clear to the directors that it was utterly impossible for the farmers to meet them. At the request of the directors the meeting was adjourned to another day. The idea was every case would be treated on its merits. There were no two cases alike, and they would have to be dealt with separately. The farmers were not by any means out to rob anyone. On the other hand they did not want anyone to treat them unjustly.

Their association gave very valuable information before the Banking Commission in July last, and their General Secretary had been questioned for about seven hours by the Banking Commission members on the 7th July 1935. Notwithstanding that the conference was held last July the report, as promised, had not been yet issued. They were warned that the report was private and they could not say anything about it till the report was issued. She could not say if the Banking Commission looked at it in the same light as they did. They were chiefly concerned in bringing whatever relief they could to the farming community.

At a conference held in October 1935 they were told to start as many branches as they could of the organisation in their part of the County Wicklow and interest the farmers in them and elect a committee which would be capable of dealing with the whole agricultural position of the Twenty-six Counties. The farmers don’t like to attend meetings on fair days, and particularly in the winter time. They had much uphill work in trying to start branches in the different districts around having started branch committees then they started county committees. They paid special attention to the rates question, and a deputation from their body even waited on the Wicklow County Council in reference to cutting down the rates. Only for going there the rates would be much higher.

At the start of their organisation many of their neighbours thought that it was political but when they saw it was non-political they came in and gave them all the help possible. She wished to reiterate that it had nothing whatever to do with politics. That was the chief reason that it had been attended with such success in the County Wicklow, and was growing every other day. While many farmers who had no way of paying their rates were brought to court and decreed, they had the butter inspectors going around, and they were not looked upon very kindly in any county.

The farmers’ daughters were not getting a fair show at all. They had to work from morning till night and were not getting any salary for it. Their people had not got any relief in the rates to which they were entitled. The farmers’ sons when the day’s work was done could go off for the evening and take part in the different games – football and hurling and the girls that had to work all day could not get any relief. They had to keep working on baking bread, etc. It was a terrible thing to allow any Government to treat the farmers’ daughters to work hard day after day, to work for other people in Dublin and other cities. They don’t know the awful life these girls have to lead. When they go to Dublin they do not want to tell their parents of the hardships they have to undergo to make a living there. These were girls who had been at high schools and took honours, and when they wanted a position in the city were offered a miserable salary. One girl who was well educated had been offered 15s a week outdoor, and of course she refused it. They then gave her 22s a week. How could she live on that wage in Dublin?

Concluding, Miss Bobbett trusted that the farmers of Gorey would now rise to the occasion and be true to their traditions and start a branch of the organisation in the district and make it what it should be (hear, hear).