Edition Bobbett2. Speeches and statements by Elizabeth F. Bobbett
1940 Ballinglen, Meeting of the Irish Farmers’ Federation
Source: Farmers’ Gazette, 27.01.1940
In addressing the meeting, Miss Bobbett said it gave her great pleasure to come to that parish and to see that by her patience and determination she was now enrolling members who had turned a deaf ear to her appeals in the earlier stages of the organisation; it was in the next parish of Annacurra that the foundation of the Federation was made by the late Mr. James Kavanagh’s able assistance. It is only by agitation that the farmers ever got anything from any Government, she said, and we are as much entitled to have a Trade Union to help to improve our position the same as any other organised body. The IFF is a registered Trade Union. Asked as to the advantages of being a Trade Union, she said that being registered under the Trade Union Acts we were a legally constituted body, and our members were entitled to protection under the Trade Union Acts the same as other Trade Unions.
As Miss Bobbett is also General Secretary, she gave the members a full account of the activities in other counties, and the various approaches made to the Government during the past year to obtain relief for the farmers of Eire and in particular the meeting they had with Mr. Eamon de Valera on 14th September, 1939, when they put before him the necessity for immediate relief if the farmers were to be put in a position to produce. Mr. de Valera told them the Government had no money to give to the farmers. Yet they could find millions for the army, and for defence, money for tourists and race meetings, a new loan of seven millions was raised since then, but none for the farmers. “We must strengthen our organisation,” she said, “till we are a hundred per cent, though I can tell you we have greatly increased our membership since the strike. The strike has shown the farmers that they can depend on their neighbouring county for support. Prior to that there was a great deal of suspicion in the different counties that their neighbour would not support them. The strike was a splendid demonstration.”
Mrs. Kathleen Harte appealed to the members to get their women-folk into the organisation. The women had done their part, too, in the success of the strike, and, after all, when they considered matters it was their women who had the most difficult part to play in trying to provide the necessary requirements of the family out of the very inadequate allowance which the farmer could provide for his family. Was it any wonder that young girls and boys were going to the towns looking for big wages and better conditions. The Federation, by its many agitations, had done good work as might be seen even by the belated admission of Mr. Sean McEntee, when he said in recent statements: “That industry owed a debt to agriculture.” Even this admission is welcomed by farmers, and they hope it will be followed up by practical assistance. It would be well to remind ourselves and the industrialists that the whole future stability of this country depends not mainly but wholly upon a released and disciplined agricultural prosperity. Mrs. Harte said that if the women were asked to attend their meetings they could set up committees to deal with the social life of the branch which, as well as being entertainment for their members, could be used to raise funds to help on organisation.