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Women and poultry in Ireland, 1891–1914

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2016

Joanna Bourke
Joanna Bourke*
Affiliation:
Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra
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Extract

Historical comment upon the years between the death of Parnell and the outbreak of the First World War ranges widely. The historian’s vision focusses on conflict and change — nationalism, unionism, home rule, urban disruption, rural disorder, land reform and incessant social debate. This paper looks at one series of arguments partially obscured amidst the turmoil of those years. For rural-dwellers, state and private institutional intervention into the rural economy during this period radically affected power-relations and work-relations within their community. The attempts to reform the poultry industry provides one example of these changes.

Rearing poultry for sale rather than for household consumption was one of the most important occupations of the farm woman. Indeed, despite the impassioned debates and controversial decisions concerning the poultry industry from the 1890s, one thing was agreed: for better or (more commonly) for worse, the poultry industry was dominated by women.

Type
Articles
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 25 , Issue 99 , May 1987 , pp. 293 - 310
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 1987

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References

1 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, Conference on the poultry industry, Dublin, 1911 report of proceedings (Dublin, 1911) (hereafter cited as Conference on the poultry industry, 1911), p. 76.

2 Villiers Stuart, H., Prices of farm products in Ireland from year to year for 36 years; illustrated by diagrams, with observations on the prospects of Irish agriculture (Dublin, 1886), pp 15–16.Google Scholar See also Barrington, Thomas ‘A review of Irish agricultural prices’ in Journal of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, 14 (1926–7), pp 252–3.Google Scholar

3 Ark, Mar. 1914, p. 12.

4 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the fourth report, minutes of evidence .and documents relating thereto, p. 186 [Cd 3509], H.C. 1907, xxxvi, app. iv, p. 200.

5 Ark, Apr. 1914, p. 7

6 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: first appendix to the seventh report: minutes of evidence .and documents relating thereto, p. 119 [Cd 3785], H.C. 1908, xl, 207, evidence by Percy G. Dalliager, of Tyrone county committee of agriculture.

7 Anderson, E. ‘Irish poultry and poultry-rearing’ in Irish Homestead, 4 Sept. 1897, p. 529.Google Scholar

8 As above, n. 4.

9 Royal commission on labour: the agricultural labourer, Ireland: reports, p. 74 [C 6894 — xix], H.C. 1893–4, xxxvii, pt 1, p. 203, report by W.P O’Brien, assistant commissioner

10 Ibid., p. 44.

11 Royal commission on labour the agricultural labourer, Ireland:…reports. ., pp 64–8 [C 6894 — xx], H.C. 1893-4, xxxvii, pt 1, pp 328-32, report by Roger C. Richards.

12 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 47 See also ‘The history of the development of instruction in connection with the poultry industry in Ireland’, paper read by J.S. Gordon, deputy assistant secretary of agriculture, at the meeting of the International Association of Poultry Instructors and Investigators held in London, 18–24 July 1912, and quoted in Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction Journal, xiii, no. 1 (Oct. 1912), pp 52–3. For statistics on the economic importance of poultry in the household economy, see Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, Minutes of the Council of Agriculture, 19th meeting, Tuesday the 30 May 1911 report of proceedings, p. 65, and ibid., 27th meeting, Tuesday the 4 May 1915. report of proceedings, p. 6. These minutes were printed for official circulation; copy in N.L.I.

13 Fox, J.A., Reports on the condition of the peasantry of the county of Mayo during the famine crisis of 1880 (Dublin, 1880), pp 20–21 Google Scholar. For evidence of financial difficulties in areas of County Wexford where fowl could not be reared, see Royal commission on labour: the agricultural labourer, Ireland: .reports, p. 117 [C 6894 — xix], H.C. 1893-4, xxxvii, pt 1, p. 249.

14 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the sixth report of the commissioners: minutes of evidence (taken in Co. Sligo and Co. Leitrim, 17th to 27th April, 1907), and documents relating thereto, p. 31 [Cd 3748], H.C. 1908, xxxix, 811, evidence by John George Quilty of Drumcliffe, shopkeeper and small farmer.

15 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 47

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18 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the second report: minutes of evidence (taken in Co. Donegal, 8th to 19th October, 1906) and documents relating thereto, p. 74 [Cd 3319], H.C. 1907, xxxv, 92. See also Digby, Margaret, Horace Plunkett: an Anglo-American Irishman (Oxford, 1949), p. 63.Google Scholar

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21 Doran, Henry Sir, ‘Self-help among the western “congests”: a review of thirty years of official labour’ in Fitzgerald, W G. (ed.), Voice of Ireland (Dublin, 1924), p. 333.Google Scholar

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23 Ministry of reconstruction: summaries of evidence taken before the agricultural policy sub-committee of the reconstruction committee appointed in August 1916 to consider and report upon the methods of effecting an increase in the home-grown food supplies, p. 93 [Cd 9080], H.C. 1918, v, 333, evidence by Anderson, R.A. secretary of the I.A.O.S. In Smith-Gordon & Staples, Rural reconstruction in Ireland, pp 174–5,Google Scholar it is claimed that there were ‘eleven active societies’ and the seven societies for which statistics exist showed a turnover of £85,000.

24 National Council, Irish Year-Book, 1908, p. 206.

25 Report of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society Ud, 1898 (Dublin, 1899), p. 18.

26 Ibid., p. 53, app. D, ‘The third annual general conference of delegates from cooperative dairy and agricultural societies’, comments by R. A. Anderson.

27 Before 1905 the number was sixty

27 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: report of the departmental committee of inquiry into the provisions of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899, p. 149 [Cd 3572], H.C. 1907, xvii, 954, memorandum by John Dryden.

29 In fact, there was much variation between counties. In Gal way and Sligo there were no male station-holders, whereas in Kerry 65 per cent of the holders were male (Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the fourth report, minutes of evidence…and documents relating thereto, pp 211–12 [Cd 3509], H.C. 1907, xxxvi, 225–6, app. iv, ’Documents put in by Professor J. R. Campbell’).

30 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: twelfth annual general report, 1911–1912, p. 48 [Cd 6647], H.C. 1912-13, xii, 578.

31 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: seventh annual general report., 1906–1907, p. 29 [Cd 4148], H.C. 1908, xiv, 625; Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: twelfth annual general report , 1911–1912, p. 48 [Cd 6647], 1912–13, xii, 578.

32 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: first appendix to the seventh report of the commissioners: minutes of evidence .and documents relating thereto, p. 119 [Cd 3785], H.C. 1908, xl, 207, evidence by Ρ G. Dalliager

33 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: fourth annual general report 1903–1904, p. 34 [Cd 2509], H.C. 1905, xxi, 300.

34 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 122, comment by Anderson, R.A. Google Scholar

35 Ibid., p. 201, ‘Appendix: scheme no. 11: instruction in poultry-keeping 1910–1911’

36 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: twelfth annual general report…, 1911–1912, p. 48 [Cd 6647], H.C. 1912–13, xxii, 578.

37 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the fourth report, minutes of evidence .and documents relating thereto, p. 192 [Cd 3509], H.C. 1907, xxxvi, 206, app. iv, ‘Documents put in by Professor J. R. Campbell’

38 MissMurphy, L. ‘Women’s sphere in the poultry industry’ in Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction Journal, 19, no. 8 (May 1919), pp 294–5.Google Scholar

39 At different times, this college was called the Glasnevin Model Farm and the Albert National Agricultural Training Institute.

40 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: report of the departmental committee of inquiry into the provisions of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899, p. 22 [Cd 3572], H.C. 1907, xvii, 829.

41 Hoctor, Daniel The department’s story: a history of the Department of Agriculture (Dublin, 1971), p. 62.Google Scholar

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43 After 1913 the Ulster Dairy School began providing similar training for women.

44 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the fourth report, minutes of evidence…and documents relating thereto, p. 53 [Cd 3509], H.C. 1907, xxxvi, 65, ‘Documents put in by Professor J. R. Campbell’

45 Committee of inquiry on post-Emergency agricultural policy, second interim report, poultry productions (Dublin, 1951), p. 7

46 Smith-Gordon, & Staples, , Rural reconstruction in Ireland, pp 174–8.Google Scholar See the comment by Anderson in Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 125.

47 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911 (Dublin, 1911), p. 56, paper by Percy A. Francis, superintending poultry instructor for the department.

48 Murphy, L. Miss ‘Women’s sphere in the poultry industry’ in Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction Journal, 14, no. 8 (May 1919), p. 293.Google Scholar

49 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: fourth annual general report… p. 33 [Cd 2509], H.C. 1905, xxi, 299.

50 Ark, Sept. 1915, p. 9.

5l Ark, June 1915, p. 9.

52 ‘The training of managers for poultry societies’ in Irish Homestead, 23 Aug. 1902, p. 660.

53 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: eighth annual general report…1907–1908, p. 63 [Cd 4430], H.C. 1908, xxii, 467 See also Michael Kirwan, Irish cottage industries: how best to develop them (Cork, 1909), pp 9–10.

54 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 62.

55 Ibid., p. 11.

56 Ibid., p. 71, comment by Canon Young of Monaghan county committee of agriculture.

57 Committee of inquiry on post-Emergency agricultural policy, second interim report: poultry productions (Dublin, 1951), p. 7

58 Comment by Anderson, R.A. in Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 125.Google Scholar

59 Comment by R. H. Prior-Wandesforde, chairman of the North Kilkenny Cooperative Poultry Society, in ibid., p. 134.

60 Irish Homestead, 12 Oct. 1895, pp 515–16.

61 ‘Among the societies’ in ibid., 9 Mar. 1895, p. 6.

62 ‘The fireside: women’s work in IriA homes’ in ibid., 24 Aug. 1895, p. 405.

63 ‘The fireside’ in ibid., 9 Mar. 1895, p. 13.

64 Ibid., 23 Apr. 1898, p. 351, 30 July 1898, p. 646.

65 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: first appendix to the seventh report, pp 84–5 [Cd 3785], H.C. 1908, xl, 172–3, evidence by Rev Thomas McCarai of Kildress.

66 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the third report, minutes of evidence, .and documents relating thereto, p. 38 [Cd 3414], H.C. 1907, xxxv, 384.

67 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 122.

68 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the third report, p. 38 [Cd 3414], H.C. 1907, xxxv, 384.

69 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: departmental committee on food production in Ireland, minutes of evidence…, p. 8 [Cd 8158], H.C. 1914–16, ν, 840, evidence by Sydney Smith, marketing representative in Great Britain.

70 ‘Poultry’ in Ark, Aug. 1915, p. 7 Also ibid., Mar 1913, p. 7, Dec. 1913, p. 13.

71 Finlay, T A., ‘The economics of Carna’ in New Ireland Review, Apr. 1898, p. 72.Google Scholar

72 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 167 See also ‘Correspondence: one expert [higgler] on another’ by ‘Cross Roads’ in Irish Homestead, 16 Sept. 1905, p. 696.

73 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911

74 ‘Elections not near — poultry societies, notice’ in Irish Homestead, 14 Oct. 1905, pp 751–2.

75 ‘Notes of the week’ in Irish Homestead, 20 Nov 1897, p. 776.

76 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, Ireland: industrial and agricultural: handbook for the Irish Pavilion, Glasgow International Exhibition, 1901, ed. Coyne, W P (Dublin, 1902), pp 226–7Google Scholar

77 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: minutes of evidence taken before the departmental committee of inquiry on the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland, p. 341 [Cd 3574], H.C. 1907, xviii, 407, evidence by Rev. B. Crowe, chairman of North Tipperary committee of agriculture.

78 Ibid., p. 427, evidence by P.G. Dalliager

79 Villiers Stuart, H., Prices of farm products in Ireland from year to year for 36 years, illustrated by diagrams, with observations on the prospects of Irish agriculture (Dublin, 1886), pp 15–16.Google Scholar

80 Committee of inquiry on post-Emergency agricultural policy, second interim report, poultry productions (Dublin, 1951), p. 4.

81 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, pp 146–7, comment by W Τ Parker of Bristol.

82 ‘Returns of home industries for 1901’ in Irish Homestead, 17 Jan. 1903, pp 50–51.

83 Crotty, R.D. Irish agricultural production, its volume and structure (Cork, 1966), p. 61 Google Scholar, Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: report of the departmental committee of inquiry into the provisions of the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899, pp 51–2 [Cd 3572], H.C. 1907, xvii, 857–8, for examples of this view from all over the country See also Royal commission on congestion in Ire fond: first appendix to the seventh report: minutes of evidence…, p. 19 [Cd 3785 ], H.C. 1908, xl, 107, evidence by W R. Bell of Armagh county committee.

84 Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: agricultural statistics of Ireland with detailed report for the year, 1909, p. 17 [Cd 5382], H.C. 1910, cviii, 544. The report stresses that the increase in poultry numbers between 1906 and 1907 was due to a more complete record being made of young birds.

85 Committee of inquiry on post-Emergency agricultural policy, second interim report, poultry productions (Dublin, 1951), p. 4.

86 Congested Districts Board base-line reports: confidential, general report by Mr [Henry] Doran on the counties of Mayo, Galway, Roscommon and Sligo (Dublin, 1892), app. A, p. 9.

87 Committee of inquiry on post-Emergency agricultural policy, second interim report, poultry productions (Dublin, 1951), p. 5. See also R.N., ‘The expensiveness of the easier way’ in Irish Homestead, 24 Feb. 1906, p. 146, which contains the following verse:

Mary had a little hen
It caused her many a tear;
It used to lay when eggs were cheap,
and quit when they were dear.

88 The value of poultry supplied in those years by Ireland to Great Britain exceeded in value that supplied by all other countries in Europe combined (Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland: eleventh annual general report 1910–1911, p. 79 [Cd 6107], H.C. 1912–13, xii, 85). For the 1904 data, see Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the fourth report, minutes of evidence and documents relating thereto, p. 186 [Cd 3509], H.C. 1907, xxxvi, 200, app. iv, ’Documents put in by Professor J. R. Campbell’

89 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911 (Dublin, 1911), p. 135.

90 Royal commission on congestion in Ireland: appendix to the third report, minutes of evidence, p. 38 [Cd 3414], H.C. 1907, xxxv, 384, evidence by Thomas Porter

91 ‘The organisation of the Irish poultry industry’ in Conference on the poultry industry, 1911 (Dublin, 1911), p. 121.

92 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 134.

93 ‘Poultry as a lucrative branch of farming’ in Irish Homestead, 18 Apr 1896, p. 104.

94 Ark, Sept. 1913, p. 12.

95 Ibid., Aug. 1913, p. 14. See also Homestead Poultry Expert, ‘Poultry November work in the poultry yard not the business for an invalid’ in Irish Homestead, 17 Nov 1906, p. 938, and ‘How to make poultry pay’ in King’s County Chronicle, 2 Jan. 1913, p. 4.

96 Ark, Dec. 1913, p. 13.

97 Conference on the poultry industry, 1911, p. 60; D.A.T.I., Portable poultry houses leaflet no. 50, revised (Dublin, [1912?]).