Roscommon has long been a hotbed of independent thought, I’ll have you know
Far from it, it was a red letter day for democracy. I commend the people who engaged critically and who voted.
But there has been a deluge of negativity from the victors towards their own supporters (eg Averil Power) and towards those who voted ‘no’ (see Marian Keyes’s tweet).
Voting ‘no’ has been characterised as unbecoming. Who can say which of the issues — constitutional, religious, biological/reproductive, foreign financing (forbidden in US campaigns), negative depiction of ‘no’ voters, the homogeneity of the media — weighed most heavily on the minds of Roscommon/ Leitrim voters. Let me illustrate the point by referring to the Eighth Amendment, which was enacted similarly, by 2:1, on a wave of religious fervour and which was supposed to protect ‘the unborn’ and give ‘equal right to the life of the mother’.
It did not do either in the case of Savita Halapanaavar and her unborn infant. Both died. The Supreme Court decided that abortion be legal in certain circumstances — exactly the opposite of what was intended. Sometimes, it takes many years to fully understand the implications of legislation.
It has taken us 30 years to appreciate the effects (as outlined above) — eg re fatal foetal abnormality — of that 1983 amendment. Many, including the Labour Party, now want to repeal it.
Let’s hope this amendment won’t cause as much of what writer Patrick Kavanagh called ‘bother’, but who can say where it will lead us?
China’s first premier, Chou Enlai, incidentally, made the same observation when asked about the effects of the French Revolution — so the Rossies are in exhalted company.
Etymologists among us may wonder how people who voted ‘no’ could be deemed to have an irrational fear or phobia of mankind ie. homo sapiens. Ms Hough has no friends among the 51.4% Roscommon majority: “Everyone I know from the county was proudly calling for a ‘yes’ vote,” she wrote. She should seek out new friends, so as to celebrate diversity and cherish all the children of the rainbow equally.
Ms Hough also seems to be unaware of the streak of independence in Roscommon, which perhaps comes from our ancestors, who drank deep when tasting the waters of the spring of St Coman’s Well (it was Coman who gave his name to our county).
This independence, according to local historian, John Kerrigan, meant that during the High Kingship of Ireland of Rory O’Connor C12th, we were a separate kingdom.
We also had our own bishopric. The Bishop of Roscommon was muscled out of his diocese in 1152, by the sharp-elbowed boy from Elphin!
This hardy independence led, in the Church-dominated, conservative 1940s, to the election to the Dáil of an independent socialist, Jack McQuillan. McQuillan was described by Conor McMorrow, in his book, Dáil Stars, as “one of the most radical TDs ever elected to the Dáil (he sat from 1948 to 1969).
We continued this tradition by electing Independent TD, Tom Foxe, 1989-1997 and, latterly, Luke Ming Flanagan.
Who can forget Ming, devotee of the wacky backy, who topped the poll in 2011, before being elevated to the European Houses of Parliament?
Michael Fitzmaurice, another independent, succeeded Ming and is odds-on to regain his seat.
We therefore rejoice in being of an independent mind. And although a noted sheep-farming county, we will not be led by the bellwether of public sentiment or celebrity endorsement, not for either camp.
‘All free man are honorary citizens of Roscommon. All true Rossies are free-thinking spirts, tolerant of the pros and cons of any proposition. It is therefore with great joy that I say loudly and proudly: Ich bin ein Rossie’.
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