Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1938 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Independent, 24.09.1938

Sir. I feel it my duty, as General Secretary of the Irish Farmers’ Federation, to state publicly that the Conference to be held in Limerick to-day (Saturday) is not being held under the auspices of the Irish Farmers’ Federation, neither have I been invited to it. When I heard of this Conference I wrote to Mr. Clancy, Secretary, Clare Farmers’ Party, and gave him certain information I had as to what was the cause of keeping the farmers divided, and warned him of the danger of leading the farmers into politics again. I explained to him that the IFF is a registered trade union and is open to farmers of all political outlook, and therefore is the only way to unite the farmers.

Members of the Wicklow Farmers’ Party have been invited to the meeting in Limerick, and they are members of the IFF, but the IFF has been ignored as a body, and nobody has done as much for the farmers of Ireland as the Executive and founders of the IFF.

I may add that the members of our Executive are all practical farmers, farming being their only means of livelihood to my knowledge, and it is only these farmers who are capable of speaking for the farming industry. If those people who want to start another organisation would only lend their energies to giving publicity to the very many and grave injustices the farmers are suffering at present it would go far to bring unity, instead of trying to keep the farmers divided.

In conclusion, I again state that any farmer can belong to the IFF so long as he accepts its rules, which are the trade union rules, no matter what party he wishes to follow. Surely when the trade unions have done so much for other workers we can do much for the farmers, who are the hardest workers of the lot. I have written this letter as an appeal to the farmers of Ireland to join the IFF. As their trade union, it will see justice done to all.

Elizabeth F. Bobbett. Springfield, Wicklow.

About the digital edition

This volume of Elizabeth F. Bobbett’s writings and speeches is divided into four parts. The first section comprises 321 texts written by her. The second part contains 150 speeches and statements by Bobbett, most of which were published in newspapers. Part 3 contains 727 texts written about Bobbett by contemporaries of her or addressed to her. Finally, Part 4 is a collection of 50 source texts that are important for understanding Elizabeth F. Bobbett’s activism. Parts 3 and 4 will be made available online in March 2027.

Suggested citation

Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Independent, 24.09.1938, in: Peter Moser (ed.), In her own Words. The Writings of Elizabeth F. Bobbett (1898-1971). Farmer, Feminist and Public Figure, Bern, 2026, https://www.histoirerurale.ch/editions/pages/bobbett/1938-09-24-37.html, consulted on .

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