LOST OPPORTUNITIES OF THE IRISH GENTRY

From Irish Ideas by William O'Brien, 1893

Page 24

LOST OPPORTUNITIES OF THE IRISH GENTRY

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have remained rich and flourishing during a history such as ours is the greatest reproach a native family could incur. In a history like that of the Irish race poverty is the best sign of nobility, and rank is the best evidence of shame.

When thoughts of this kind began to work and burn in the minds of the young men of Ireland, their revolt against the supremacy of this alien caste was as sudden as their submissiveness had been complete. I remember even within our own time the first of the elected poor law-law guardians who were taken from the ranks of the people—how they used to slouch into the board-room in a shame-faced, apologetic kind of way, how they used to slide into a seat as far away from 'the gentlemen' as possible, and sit on the edge of the chair, and vote like sheep, and hardly ever venture a remark. I saw the new spirit of manhood and of self-respect that came into these men when they rose and measured themselves like men with these noble lords and gentlemen, and routed them from their dignities, and told them to their faces that the day of aristocratic privilege was gone, and the power of the people, and the welfare of the people, must henceforth be more important elements in the government of mankind than coronets or Norman blood.

If you go into the Irish board-room of an Irish board of guardians now, you won't find the elected guardians trembling under the frown of the ex-officios; it is rather the other way. If you listen to a debate in the House of Commons, you won't find men of the people like Mr. Healy or Mr. Sexton grovelling at the feet of the King-Harmans and Saundersons, or speaking with bated breath because every second man who is listening to him has a title or a million of money. … continue reading »

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