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Speech on the Unveiling of a Statue of Thomas Davis

Mallow, Co. Cork, 28th November 2014

Tugann sé an-phléisiúr dom a bheith anseo inniu agus ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le Comhpháirtíocht Fhorbartha Mhala as an gcuireadh a chuir siad chugham chun an dealbh seo de dhuine de na tír-ghráthóirí is mó dá bhfuil againn a nochtadh, mar atá, Tomás Dáibhéis.

[It gives me great pleasure to be here today and may I thank the Mallow Development Partnership for inviting me to unveil this statue of one of our great Irish patriots, Thomas Davis.] 

The English poet Philip James Bailey has written that: ‘We live in deeds, not years’, and there can indeed be no doubt that, despite his short life and untimely death, the legacy of Thomas Davis is a significant one, and one which has had a profound effect on the society we inhabit today.  Indeed, it is remarkable to think that his literary and political career spanned little more than three years, given the strength with which his words still resound in contemporary Ireland.

Davis’ famous work is, of course, ‘A Nation Once Again’ and I am sure most of you have been deeply moved by the stirring passion with which Davis wrote of the need for action on behalf of Irish freedom. Many of the values expressed in the writings of Davis are found in the Proclamation of 1916 and remain core to today’s Ireland: Questions of the ownership of land, religious and civil liberty, equal rights and equal opportunities and the administration of justice which continue to concern us to this day.

Thomas Davis famously said that, during his schooldays, he “learned to know, and knowing, loved [his] countrymen”. It is an impressive statement from a man born a Protestant into an Ireland still suffering under the penal laws and reeling from the aftermath of the 1798 rebellion, the Act of Union and the very public execution of Wolfe Tone.

It was also an inspiring recognition of the common humanity which has such power to transcend all divisions; and a spirit of empathy that enabled Davis to give voice to the concept of an Irish national identity. His was a vision for Ireland of a country united by heritage, language and a sense of shared community.

His activism and that of the other Young Irelanders was part of a broader European nationalist and democratic movement the nature of which is perhaps most strikingly summed up in the words of Thomas Davis, written for the founding of ‘The Nation’ newspaper in 1842, where he spoke of:

“a nationality . . . which may embrace Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter – Milesian and Cromwellian – the Irishman of a hundred generations, and the stranger who is within our gates…. not a Nationality which would prelude civil war, but which would establish internal union and external independence ; a Nationality which would be recognised by the world, and sanctified by wisdom, virtue, and prudence.”

Some may describe this vision of Thomas Davis as overly idealistic or even naive, especially when considering the strength and depth of religious belief which existed amongst his countrymen, and also the powerful attachment to land which has shadowed so much of our national story.

But these words have echoed across the generations, inspiring the nationalist leaders that followed, through the struggle for independence,  and to the present day where they continue to inspire us all as we journey forward in pursuit of a nation founded on mutual respect and deep and indelible personal ties.

One could not be but impressed by the evocation of Thomas Davis’ “Republic of Virtue” by another great Corkman Professor John A. Murphy in his splendid and timely piece on Davis’ bicentenary in the Irish Times of October 27th, which ended with an adaptation of some famous lines from Wordsworth: “Davis, thou shouldst be living at this hour! Ireland hath need of thee.” It is the core of generosity that defines a dialogue of respect of the other.

Today, as we stand in a free and independent Republic with liberty perhaps beyond even Thomas Davis’ dreams, much work remains to be done to realise his vision for a truly just and reconciled Ireland.  There can be no doubt of the great strength, the possibilities, that exist in Irish civil society – one which enables partnership between the individual and the national and allows groups like the Mallow Development Partnership and the Thomas Davis Commemoration Society to come together in pursuit of a common goal.

Is acmhainn í nach mór a bheith dírithe isteach ar an dul i ngleic leis na struchtúir ar throid an Dáibhéiseach agus daoine eile nach é, go láidir chun iad a chur ar fáil, ionas go bhféadfaimid an tuiscint a chothú go bhfuilimid ag obair i gcomhpháirt chun an todhchaí a mhúnlú de réir na n-idéal comhroinnte sin.

[It is a strength that must be channelled into engagement with the structures that Davis and others fought so hard to provide, in order that we can build a real sense of working together to craft a future built on those shared ideals.]

This evening, two hundred years after Davis’ birth into an Ireland dominated by hardship, intolerance and a harsh and discriminatory penal code, we recall this famous son of Mallow with pride and appreciation for his vision of a better and more just society.  As we survey the much changed landscape we inhabit today it is important that we remember the great debt of gratitude we owe to all those who have, across the years, worked with such determination towards the achievement of an active, inclusive citizenship; based on participation, equality, and respect for all. I would, therefore, like to pay tribute to the Thomas Davis Commemoration Society which has in recent months led a series of events to commemorate Thomas Davis and to engage the local community across all age groups in a celebration of the legacy of one of Irish history’s most influential figures.

Finally, may I say how very uplifting it is to be here today in Mallow to witness, and indeed participate in, the fruition of a project which has been built on a great spirit of co-operation, collective will, and real participation. There can be no greater tribute to Thomas Davis, of whom it was written after his death that “Souls like his never die, but make a part of the history and the heart of their country forever”.  Today Mallow has honoured the powerful and indelible mark Davis has left on Irish society and ensured that this statue will stand tall, not only as a memorial dedicated to a great national hero, but also as a symbol of the unity and togetherness which defines the community here in Mallow.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.