Castlepollard lectures to recall political giants of yore

The fascinating – and often colourful – careers of three leading North Westmeath political figures will be recalled at a special series of talks in Castlepollard this weekend.

The North Westmeath Historical Society is hosting the series under the theme “Recalling Past Politicians”, with the aim of promoting greater awareness of three local men – all from the North Westmeath area – who, between them, represented the people of Longford–Westmeath in Dáil Éireann from the 1920s up to the 1980s.

Joe Kennedy – from revolutionary to TD

Seamus O’Cinneide, better known as Joe Kennedy, first came to public attention when he organised a branch of Na Fianna Éireann, the Republican Boy Scout movement, in Castlepollard around 1914.

A supporter of local MP Larry Ginnell, who joined Sinn Féin after the 1916 Rising, Kennedy became involved in the 1918 General Election as Ginnell’s campaign manager – but was arrested before the election took place.

Following a court-martial in Portlaoise, he was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in Mountjoy Jail for the “crime” of reading a Sinn Féin manifesto in a public place. Within a few months and following a hunger strike Joe was released so he could receive medical attention and spent some months in hospital recovering from pneumonia and then pleurisy.

In November 1920 he was again arrested and, following a court-martial in Athlone, found guilty of possessing a military drill manual. He was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in Mountjoy, and released in October 1921.

After the Treaty was accepted in January 1922, Kennedy joined the Anti-Treaty side and took part in the early stages of the Civil War before being captured and sent to Gormanston Internment Camp. He was released in 1924.

Together with John Macken, he helped establish a branch of the newly formed Fianna Fáil party in Castlepollard in May 1926. The following year, in June 1927, he contested and won a seat for Fianna Fáil in Longford–Westmeath – beginning a Dáil career that would last almost 40 years.

During that time, Kennedy served both as a county councillor and as a TD without ever losing his seat. The highlights of his career included two periods as Parliamentary Secretary (Junior Minister) to the Minister for Social Welfare. Many older Castlepollard residents still recall how he would use his ministerial car to drive patients to hospital appointments in Dublin when the Dáil was sitting.

Charles Fagan – the farmers’ champion

Following the 1932 General Election the Fianna Fail party became the single largest party in the Dail and with the support of the Labour party they now entered government under their leader De Valera who became President of the Executive Council or as he would be called today Taoiseach.

One of the promises made in the Fianna Fail manifesto was that if they won the election they would stop paying the Land Annuities to the British Exchequer. DE Valera now withheld these payments while still collecting them from the farming community. The British government retaliated by placing import duties on goods coming from the Free State thus making Irish farm produce more expensive in Britain with a consequent collapse in cattle and beef prices in Ireland.

Hoping to win an overall majority of seats in Dail Eireann De Valera called a snap election in January 1933. A new political party had been formed in late 1932 reflecting the concern and anger of the farmers over the fallout from the Economic War between the two countries provoked by the decision not to pay the annuities due to the British government. This new party, called the National Centre Party, now contested the election and won 11 seats nationwide. One of these seats was in the Longford Westmeath constituency and was won by Charles Fagan a farmer from Lismacaffrey and the nephew of the well-known farmer and horse breeder EJ Hope of Gartlandstown.

Charlie Fagan found himself leading the campaign to reduce the hardship faced by many farmers who found themselves being forced to pay their annuities to the Irish Land Commission at the same time as their income stream fell dramatically. Some farmers, possibly encouraged by the leaders of the Centre Party, now refused to hand over their annuity payments to the authorities who began to seize their cattle and other possessions and sell them at auction using the money achieved to compensate for the non-payment of the annuities.

In October 1934, the Sheriff “descended on the lands of CM Fagan TD at Gartlandstown and seized a motor car and six cattle”, apparently because the TD himself had refused to pay. He also attended many of the auctions – some held in Mullingar Army Barracks – and often bought the seized stock to return it to their original owners.

At public meetings and rallies held by the Centre Party Irish Republican Army veterans began to disrupt the proceedings and heckle the speakers. In an effort to prevent these protests The Army Comrades Association was established under the leadership of Eoin O Duffy. The members of this organisation became known as “Blue shirts” in reference to the uniform they wore and were similar in ways to Mussolini’s Blackshirts.In August 1934 Cumann na nGaedheal, the Centre Party and the Army Comrades Association merged to form a new party called Fine Gael.

Charles Fagan went on to serve as a Fine Gael TD for Longford–Westmeath and later Meath–Westmeath, before resigning from the party in 1947. He continued to win elections as an Independent until rejoining Fine Gael in 1952. He retired from politics before the 1961 General Election.

Gerry L’Estrange – colourful and combative

Not far from Lismacaffrey lies the townland of Correaly, where Mathew Gerrard (Gerry) L’Estrange was born in November 1917. A noted cross-country runner in his youth, he won trophies at meetings across Ireland.

A member of Westmeath County Council from 1942, he became a Fine Gael Senator in 1954 and was elected to Dáil Éireann in 1965. He quickly became a household name for his combative debating style, which led to his ejection from the Dáil chamber on more than one occasion.

He twice served as Fine Gael Chief Whip and later as a Minister of State under Taoiseach John Bruton. As well as representing Longford–Westmeath in the Dáil, he served as an MEP from 1977 to 1979.

As his friend and colleague Paddy Harte wrote in an obituary after his death in April 1996, “he must rate as one of the most colourful characters of his generation to have graced Irish public life”.

Weekend talks in Castlepollard

The “Recalling Past Politicians” series opens on Friday night with John Fagan speaking on Charles Fagan TD in the Castle Varagh Hotel at 8pm.

On Saturday night, Bill Ryan will speak on Joe Kennedy TD in Castlepollard Parish Centre at 8pm.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, November 9th, at 4pm, Ruth Illingworth will give a talk on The Life and Times of Gerry L’Estrange in the Castle Varagh Hotel.

Admission to all talks is free, and everyone is welcome.