Famine Warhouse 1848 - Official Opening 2004

Address by The O’Brien (Lord Inchiquin) at the Official State Opening of the Famine Warhouse 1848 in Ballingarry, Wednesday, 21 July 2004.

Minister, Senator Mansergh, distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

What a great pleasure to be back here in this lovely site and so soon after the State took it over in 1998. I would also like to welcome so many people both local and those from further afield and in particular the many O’Briens who are here, my cousins, Murrogh and Susanne O’Brien, Brian O’Brien, Grania Weir and Deirdre Chapin all the way from Bermuda.

As head of the O’Brien Clan, it is my distinct honour to be here today to witness this historic event. As you may know Dromoland Castle was the birthplace of my great great uncle, William Smith O’Brien. A place that meant so much to him particularly in his younger days, despite the fact that his father Sir Edward O’Brien and his brother Sir Lucius O’Brien, both MP’s, and very much Tory supporters, were in many ways opposed to him. There were many difficult political discussions between them at Dromoland and at times he avoided going to Dromoland to avoid confrontation. In 1998 on the 150th anniversary of the Rising we unveiled a plaque at Dromoland Castle to commemorate all of the Young Irelanders.

I have always personally felt that the Young Irelanders have been significantly ignored in Irish history and have not received due recognition for their efforts for Irish unity. I am delighted to see in recent years that steps have been taken to put that right and historians are now realising that this small but significant part in our struggle for Irish unity is important. It is the responsibility of historians to ensure that history is fairly and impartially recorded and I hope that the Young Irelanders will now feature more in the curriculum of our schools as our history books reflect the impact of the Young Irelanders’ struggle.

William Smith O’Brien’s dearest wish was, and I quote ‘To see Irishmen united without regard to the distinctions of creed or party’ and Ireland raised to the ‘place in the scale of nations to which she is entitled but hitherto withheld’. Much has happened since 1848 and it is perhaps significant that today 156 years later and since the signing of the Good Friday peace agreement, we are now in a position where this ambition is not by any means unattainable and that Irish unity can be achieved in the not too distant future. It is extraordinary to think that 1002 years ago it was another O’Brien, Brian Boru, who as Ard Rí, virtually united the Irish and still we are on the brink of that elusive goal.

Today we mark the heroic efforts of our ancestors in the Young Ireland movement by the official opening of this historic house, the Famine Warhouse 1848, by the Minister.  Finally I would like to thank Dr Tom McGrath for all his hard work and leadership in coordinating this historic event.

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Speech by Dr Thomas McGrath

Speech by Senator Martin Mansergh

Speech by Minister Tom Parlon, T.D., Office of Public Works