Patriotic Public Service

Some public sector salaries, pensions and perks in Ireland came under close scrutiny in recent times. This has now been extended to a range of charities which enjoy a tax-free status and in many cases receive considerable State funding for the delivery of services. In some cases, it has been very difficult to find out the salaries and pension entitlements of senior staff. This obstinacy is an insult to staff, to volunteers and to all the people who contribute to their funds. From what is in the public domain, it appears that the senior executives of these organisations are well looked after. Some people seem to have forgotten what is meant by public service and the obligations of charities. They could well remember the example of patriotic public service rendered by many Irish patriots like the founders of the State and a person like Michael Davitt (1846-1906) ‘the father of the Land League’ .

Michael Davitt had a altruistic vision, a deep sense of patriotism, and a passionate concern for the welfare of all human beings. It was seldom that he was not working for some cause or lending his support to a local issue of concern in Britain and Ireland. His interests and concerns ranged from tenant-farmers to agricultural labourers, the working-classes in Britain and Ireland, prison conditions, social conditions generally, the Boers in South Africa and the Jews in Russia. A person with an international perspective, he regarded all humanity as one family, believing in the dignity and human rights of all human beings regardless of race, colour, political persuasion or creed. For the last twenty-four years of his life, he was an international humanitarian, a champion of the marginalised in society, as well as a fearless supporter of some minority causes. His objective was always the development of society for the benefit of all its members.

Scrupulous in his use of public funds, Davitt never used such money for his own benefit despite the precarious state of his own finances for most of his life. After his release from prison, he took up no full-time position, earning his living from freelance journalism and public speaking. He could have obtained a secure job with a regular income, but chose instead to serve his country and its people at a great personal cost. Being a strong believer in patriotic public service, which in his case was unpaid service, his ethical views on public funds are even more commendable. Refusing on several occasions to accept testimonials or any financial support from his friends, he lived a frugal life, with his wife having occasionally to receive help from her American aunt, Mary Canning. Despite his financial position, he was a generous contributor to various political and benevolent causes, and especially to anyone in trouble. On a visit to Paris, he called on the Irish-born dramatist, Oscar Wilde (1852-1900), then living in poor circumstances and shunned by his friends following his release from Reading Gaol. Davitt took the famous literary artist to dinner and gave him a pleasant evening.

Michael Davitt was passionate in his desire to change institutions, laws, public policy and society to serve the needs of all the people and not a privileged few. He was influenced by his strong beliefs in liberty, democracy, equality of opportunity and social inclusion. What came to be called vested interests were anathema to him, as he was interested in public policy serving the real needs of all citizens. He believed in fair, honest and ethical public service, with special attention to the needs of the marginalised and most disadvantaged. What he wished for Ireland, he also supported for all humanity.

Bernard O'Hara's latest book entitled Killasser: Heritage of a Mayo Parish is now on sale in the USA and UK as a paperback book at amazon.com, amazon.co.uk or Barnes and Noble

It is also available as an eBook from the Apple iBookstore (for reading on iPad and iPhone), from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (Kindle & Kindle Fire) and from Barnesandnoble.com (Nook tablet and eReader).

An earlier publication, a concise biography of Michael Davitt, entitled Davitt by Bernard O’Hara published in 2006 by Mayo County Council , is now available as Davitt: Irish Patriot and Father of the Land League by Bernard O’Hara, which was published in the USA by Tudor Gate Press (www.tudorgatepress.com) and is available from amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. It can be obtained as an eBook from the Apple iBookstore (for reading on iPad and iPhone), from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (Kindle & Kindle Fire) and from Barnesandnoble.com (Nook tablet and eReader).