Speech at the Asgard Centennial Commemoration
Howth Harbour, 27th July 2014
It is a great pleasure to join you all in Howth this afternoon, where we gather to mark and remember a determining moment in Ireland’s revolutionary period. And I am so pleased to be here in the presence of some of the relatives and descendants of those who are commemorated today for their actions.
Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le Grúpa Oibrí Deonach an ASGARD as ucht a gcuiridh caoin dom páirt a ghlacadh san ócáid seo, agus leis an uile duine anseo as ucht na fíorchaoin fáilte a d’fhear sibh romham féin agus roimh Sabina.
[I would like to thank the ASGARD Volunteer Group for issuing their kind invitation to me to take part in this event, and everyone here for the generous welcome you have afforded Sabina and me.]
Howth harbour and the village of Howth have a rich history of sea-faring and also a rich military history that includes Viking and Norman conquests and settlements and the, admittedly more legendary, visit of Gráinne Mhaol in 1576.
I am glad to say the terrible slight of inhospitality which she laid at the door of the lords of Howth at that time has been long righted, and all who visit this safe harbour today are blessed with the warmest of welcomes and, I have been assured, the finest of sustenance.
Howth has witnessed many military adventures over the centuries, but we are here today to mark the anniversary of an event which occurred during one of the most turbulent and seismic periods of Irish history, and one whose ultimate significance could not have been anticipated at the time. The arrival here of the Asgard on 26th July was an event which was to change the course of our history, constituting an important milestone in the long and difficult struggle for Irish independence.
While we focus today on the significance of those events here, and at Kilcoole and Bachelor’s Walk, as stages in the journey towards Irish independence, we must not forget that these historical moments were tragic and painful for many of those who lived through them.
Earlier this morning, Minister Humphries laid a wreath at Glasnevin Cemetery in memory of the three lives lost in Bachelor’s Walk on that same day: Mary Duffy, a 56-year-old widow whose son was serving in the Royal Dublin Fusiliers; Patrick Quinn, a coal porter and father of six children; James Brennan a 17-year-old messenger boy; and of course there were nearly 50 people injured, including Sylvester Pidgeon, who would lose his life later as a result of his injuries.
It reminds us, during this important period of commemoration both in Ireland and across Europe, of how much of that remembrance is inevitably tinged with grief and sadness for the tremendous human suffering of the victims of the conflicts of that era.
We are challenged to address the sources of these conflicts in Ireland, Europe and elsewhere – challenged to address the enormous price paid by those who died and to give our attention not only to the deceased but to the injured and excluded. In addition to the three citizens who lost their lives on this day in 1914, as I have said, nearly 50 others suffered injuries and many suffered permanent disabilities.
It is equally important to remember, for example, those who came home from WWI crippled and maimed with their lives ruined, and who would carry with them terrible and ghastly memories.
As we commemorate the Asgard, it is tempting to speculate on what motivation gathered this extraordinary crew who belonged to the different traditions of Ireland. I think that they had one aim in common, and that was the mounting of a defence, realistically this was a symbolic defence, against those who would oppose Home Rule by force of arms. I think that their motivation was defensive rather than offensive.
When we remember and even relive the experiences of those who were here on that day one hundred summers ago, we must recall in particular the role of Erskine and Molly Childers – and as a President of Ireland and a successor to their son, I am especially glad that so many members of the wider Childers family are with us today, a family who have made such a distinguished contribution to Irish public life.
Today we rightly recognise the bravery and idealism of that couple in risking their lives in the name of an Irish republic. Their personal stories remind us too of the complexity of that period. Molly’s role at Howth reflects the important contribution of the United States to the Irish nationalist cause as both a source of continuity and a practical ally. Erskine’s death by execution during the civil war stands as one of the many tragedies of that period.
As I have said, the group of people we are commemorating came from many different traditions, reflecting the fact that the movement for independence was a very broad church. The group included a distinguished British civil servant, a knight of the realm, a member of the family of the archdeacon of Meath, and Darrell Figgis, who had been brought up as the son of a merchant in London.
Today we remember and recognise, too, the part played by Roger Casement, Conor O’Brien, Mary Spring Rice, Patrick McGinley and Charles Dugan in the planning and execution of the operation to bring arms to Howth. Their harrowing journey brought them through terrible storms in difficult circumstances, trying to avoid, as they were, the entire fleet of the British navy called into active service in anticipation of the outbreak of the war. We also remember the many Fianna Eireann and Citizen Army members, led by Countess Markievicz, who received them in this harbour with handcarts and wheelbarrows, and the efficient removal of arms during what was a daring task executed under pressures of time and discovery.
As we stand here this afternoon, we should also recall that this is not the first time this event has been commemorated. In 1961, the Irish government purchased the original Asgard and arranged a re-enactment of the landing here in Howth, featuring some of the original firearms and surviving Volunteers who were present on that day. An address was read by then President Eamon DeValera and a plaque was erected on the pier to mark the occasion.
In this ongoing decade of commemorations, we are called on to remember these events with respect and with a commitment to understand the motivations of all sides, both supporters of independence and advocates of empire. And let us not forget either the pacifists and the conscientious objectors. We are invited to reflect on this period of history in a spirit of understanding of the complex motivations of all those involved. Such an effort at understanding is a necessary ethical preliminary to any judgment.
Today, however, we also recall a time of hope and renewal; we are challenged to remember the courage of those who sought to not only conceive of independence but of a real republican independence that involved a better and more just future for all of the citizens of Ireland, one that would enable them to realise that dream of a truly inclusive society in which all our citizens are treated with respect and enabled to make their unique contributions.
That spirit of active citizen participation is evident here today in Howth as you come together in an atmosphere of community solidarity to celebrate the past and recall the strong indelible link between Howth Harbour and those important days and months which lead to the Easter Rising of 1916.
The 26th July 1914 is, for all of these reasons and more, a momentous date on the Irish calendar, and is also an especially important date for the residents of Howth as they can recall with pride the historic significance of the actions that took place in this beautiful fishing village.
What you are showing today, through the huge numbers who have turned out, and in the preparations you have made, is how we can cooperate together in a serious engagement with the past, one that can stand alongside a vibrant celebration of the richness of the present and, even more importantly, engage with the promise of the future. All this is being accomplished by the spirited and diverse community the people of Howth have built here over the century since the Asgard made her daring dash past Ireland’s Eye.
In conclusion, I would like to commend and congratulate all those who have been involved in the planning and preparation of this event, which is both an official commemoration of the Asgard landing, and also a community celebration of that historical occasion. You have given of your time and skills generously in order to allow citizens to access, and engage with, a critical episode in our shared past. I thank you for recognising the great gift of history and heritage and I also thank those who have come here today to acknowledge that gift, and its continued relevance in our ever evolving society.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.