Edition Bobbett2. Speeches and statements by Elizabeth F. Bobbett

1940 Athy, Meeting of the Irish Farmers’ Federation

Source: Nationalist and Leinster Times, 06.01.1940

Miss Elizabeth Bobbett, General Secretary of the Irish Farmers’ Federation, said that the farmers had no money to finance their industry. Mr. Eamon de Valera had told them they could consider themselves lucky that they are as well off as they are. Politicians did not want the farmers to unite, because if they did and formed a strong party the good times for these boyos would be finished. There was a truce on now as regards the farmers’ strike. In some districts there were men very anxious to strike again. It had been stated that the Federation was composed of only 5 per cent of the farmers of the country. If that were so, why was it necessary to exercise emergency powers to fight the strike, and why should there have been so much trouble in Dublin over it? Being registered as a Trade Union they had a legal right to strike. The action of the Government was unprecedented. Only they were a trade union they would probably be arrested for holding this meeting that day. The increased price for beet was flashed across for the purpose of dividing the farmers. The growers were not consulted. She understood the Carlow Board of the Beet Growers’ Association were very much against accepting it. “If you knew all the other things about the beet of which you have not been told, you would know whether to grow it or not,” declared Miss Bobbett. There was great dissatisfaction about the milk price, and the question was a critical one. She herself was not a milk producer, but she was deeply interested in its production. There was not for centuries such a spirit of unity amongst farmers as that which had been brought about through the strike called by the Federation.