Edition Bobbett2. Speeches and statements by Elizabeth F. Bobbett
1937 Rathdrum, Meeting of the Irish Farmers’ Federation
Source: Wicklow People, 23.10.1937
Miss Bobbett, welcoming so many farmers to the meeting, said that the IFF should as a trades’ union, be the one and only organisation for all farmers. They were not out to hamper the Government but to assist them. When they had asked for deputations to be received, they had been turned down. She quoted her own experience when they demanded £70 and told her to go borrow it, but finally gave her a fort-night to make it up; they told her they would be entitled to seize stock, furniture, even a friend’s car if it happened to be at the door, and as a result of that statement, she had immediately written to the Ministers and Irish Land Commission asking for exemption for stock grazing on her lands, owned by other people. If she could not set her land, she could not pay rates or annuities at all; and it would also be unfair for those people to face seizures of stock. It had happened in Tipperary, and the graziers had obtained a decree against the farmer for £300 when their stock was taken away. Mr. Sean T. O’Kelly had replied he would take the matter up with the Minister for Lands; the Minister for Justice said he could not interfere with the Sub-Sheriff for the county in the discharge of his duties, and any application for payment of annuities by instalment should be addressed to the ILC. Mr. Toomey wrote that he could not give her any exemption.
Following their deputation to the Deputies, The O’Mahony had written to Miss Bobbett that Mr. James Everett and he had spent an hour and a half with the ILC discussing the whole question of the payment of land annuities, and stressing farmers’ great difficulties at the present time. They were assured that payments made to the Sheriff would aid the situation as regards the person making it. Mr. Everett wrote similarly and added that speaking for his Party they were only anxious to see that the agriculturalist of the Free State received a profitable price. He was moving for their assent to a motion in the Dail for a return of all withheld grants to public bodies in the last 4 years, so as to enable them to give a reduction on rates of at least 1s 8d in the £. He assured Miss Bobbett of his earnest desire to assist any organisation of his constituents to relieve them of unnecessary burdens. Mr. Seamus Moore wrote that he was satisfied it was not necessary to receive the deputation from the IFF, as Fianna Fail, the organisation chiefly responsible for his election was more representative of the farmers and every class in the county than any other organisation, and he had no reason to believe that they would fail to submit the views of any section which might consider it was adversely affected by the Government’s action either now or in the future.
Miss Bobbett added that she had information that the Banking Commission would report early in January favourable to the agriculturalist, and the Banks had declared the farmers were the most honest people they had to deal with.
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The Secretary, referring to the visits of the “Flying Squad,” said that one farmer had been terrorised into borrowing £40 from a shopkeeper in Aughrim; another had been refused money by Wicklow shopkeepers; in the case of a third man the members of the “squad” forced themselves into a sick-room. Farmers were now having to build for cattle houses good enough for a king or queen – or for Mr. Eamon de Valera to spend his holidays in and there was no one to look after the farmers’ houses.
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Miss Bobbett proposed inviting President Eamon de Valera and the Ministers to a public meeting. If they did not attend, they would hold the meeting outside Dr. James Ryan’s gate in Delgany.