A Easpaig Ó Murchú, A Chanónaigh Ó Croidheáin, a aíonna uaisle, agus a chairde,

Chuir sé áthas orm nuair a d’iarr an Canónach Ó Croidheáin orm cúpla focal a rá anocht, mar dhuine de phobal an pharóiste agus mar Cheann Comhairle.
Ag fás suas dúinn i gCathair Saidhbhín, ba chuid lárnach dár saol é Séipéal Cuimhneacháin Dhónaill Uí Chonaill faoi mar ba chuid lárnach dár saol é an fear mór é féin. Mhair mo ghlúinse agus ár dtuismitheoirí agus a dtuismitheoirí siúd ar scáth an tséipéil mhóir seo le breis agus céad bliain.

Tá mé ana-shásta a bheith anseo anocht freisin chun tacú leis an obair thábhachtach atá ar siúl chun airgead a bhailiú, go háirithe anois agus an feachtas sin á leathnú amach thar theorainneacha Chontae Chiarraí, mar ar léiríodh flaithiúlacht thar na bearta le ceithre nó cúig de bhlianta anuas.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas ó chroí a ghabháil le gach duine a thug airgead agus do na daoine sin a d’oibrigh chomh cruaidh sin ar na hiarrachtaí go léir a bhí ann go dtí seo chun an t-airgead a bhailiú is gá chun an tionscadal fiúntach seo a chur i gcrích.

I am delighted to be with you this evening both as a native and parishioner of Cahersiveen and as Ceann Comhairle.

Growing up in Cahersiveen the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church was a central part of our lives. Given its prominent location in the town centre and its sheer size and dominance, the Church – like O’Connell himself – is an iconic building in southwest Kerry that has towered over my generation and that of my parents and grandparents for over a century.

I am also very pleased to be here this evening to add my support to this vital fund raising work that is now being moved on to another level beyond the borders of Kerry. We have seen great generosity over the last four or five years. Like everybody else in Cahersiveen I have watched with interest in recent years as the fundraising figure climbed higher. Never enough to do all that needs to be done but the steady progress was eagerly observed. I would like to sincerely commend everybody who has contributed to this wonderful project and to those who worked so hard on the many local fundraising projects to raise the money needed for this very worthy undertaking.

Now as I said we look beyond Kerry and beyond these shores to enlist further support. We know that much of the money came from emigrants when the church was being built and now we look outwards again.

Daniel O’Connell lived in my imagination since I was a very young man. He was the giant on my shoulder, the Liberator whom I held in the highest regard. Who could not be moved by this giant figure who strode heroically through the pages of our history. He had authority and influence that moved the masses to planned and disciplined action. He was a champion of democracy who created and safeguarded modern Irish nationalism and the parliamentary tradition. He worked strategically to restore essential rights to a subjugated people. In particular he restored legal rights to the Catholic majority. He lifted the people from their knees and gave them dignity and hope. He had the respect of his own people the length and breath of this country while he also earned the respect of those who vigorously opposed him politically.

O'Connell combined a rousing rhetoric with a strategy of achieving small steps forward by constitutional means. The pressure of public opinion was backed by the implied threat of reform or revolution.

While Bishop Murphy spoke about O’Connell and Catholic Emancipation, I want to take a few minutes to talk about The Liberator’s political principles, visionary for their time and now leaving us a tremendous legacy.

When one considers O’Connell as the parliamentarian, myriad descriptions have been used – robust street politician, champion of freedom, pioneer of political empowerment, shrewd politician, life-long democrat and radical, reformer and defender of liberty, founding father of Irish democracy.

O’Connell had the capacity to harness what he called ‘moral force’ of mass non-violent action. The power, the potential and the discipline that marked the great gatherings for his mass meetings had a major impact socially and politically. This capacity to lead his people with clear direction towards freedom and equality became his lasting legacy and contribution to the emerging Ireland.

But as we look back at an Ireland in the mid 19th century - over one hundred and fifty years ago – we wonder how O’Connell mobilised public opinion on this scale.
According to Gary Owens, ‘The most spectacular public gatherings in Irish history were the more than fifty-plus ‘monster meetings’ held across the three southern provinces during the summers of 1843 and 1845”
Reports of numbers vary, however Owens suggests approximately one quarter of the total population took part in those great events.
Donal McCartney describes these meetings as “hedge schools in which the masses were educated into the nationalist politics of repeal”
Even as early as 1829, Robert Peel, claimed “We were watching the movement of tens of thousands of disciplined fanatics, abstaining from every excess and every indulgence and concentrating every passion and feeling on one single object”
It is clear that O’Connell was seen as a major political force and one of the great parliamentarians of his time. His influence on Irish nationalism and parliamentary politics was recognized far beyond these shores. This year of course we celebrate the 180th anniversary of one of his great achievements Catholic emancipation as Bishop Murphy has outlined.

Dr. Fergus O’Ferrall refers to ‘a prophet of a coming time’ and outlined O’Connell’s key political principles which I believe sum up an extraordinary political career spanning three decades:
He was totally opposed to revolutionist or underground violence in pursuit of political goals in the Irish context.
He mobilised public opinion as a ‘moral force’ to effect beneficial change.
He believed in Civil liberty and equality for all people.
He believed in complete separation of Church and State.
Democratic reform was to be advanced within a novel enlargement of the constitutional and parliamentary framework.
Irish nationality was to be defined by birth or residence and by a union of Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter.
Legislative independence for the people of Ireland was to be based upon equality with other sovereign peoples.

O’Ferrall also writes of civic republicanism and O’Connell’s objective of the ‘common man’ looking every other person in the eye as an equal.

O’Connell left an indelible mark on Irish politics - serving as an inspiration to such peaceful world leaders as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
He fought injustice and tyranny at home and extended his concern to African slaves in America and to other citizens of the world who lived under oppression.

The Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church is the only living monument to this father of constitutional nationalism, humanitarian and defender of liberty.
It is a fitting tribute to a local, yet global champion.

Tonight, I want to enlist your help in preserving this beautiful edifice. The fund-raising success to date is remarkable and most encouraging, especially considering the current economic climate.

As a parishioner, I am committed to the Church’s restoration; as a parliamentarian, I understand the significance and am proud of O’Connell’s legacy.

The Daniel O’Connell Memorial church has been and continues to be an intrinsic part of Cahersiveen and its environs. It’s as Cahersiveen as the Boys of Barr Na Sráide or Mary Beamish.