Adare, March 30th, 1904 – In response to an article published in the Limerick Echo regarding a meeting held by eight branches of the Irish Land and Labour Association in Hospital, Mr Naughton of Adare has written a letter to the editor, expressing his views and addressing the claims made during the gathering.
Mr Naughton begins by acknowledging the initial congratulatory remarks made by the speakers at the meeting, considering them to be a positive and praiseworthy aspect of the event. However, he swiftly moves on to criticize what he refers to as “misrepresentation” during the meeting. According to him, Act 2 of the proceedings involved a grossly inaccurate portrayal of the County Organising Committee meetings, particularly the gathering on March 17th. Act 3, as he describes it, consisted of the predictable but unwarranted abuse and slander directed towards certain members of the County Organising Committee who supported their leader’s policies.
Mr Dwyer, one of the speakers at the meeting, alleged that the County Organising Committee engaged in “hide-and-go-seek” actions. However, Mr Naughton counters this accusation by explaining that the meeting in question was duly called and attended by fifteen affiliated branches of the association, including Mr Dwyer himself as a delegate for Ballybricken. Mr Naughton highlights that a resolution was unanimously passed at the gathering, pledging loyalty to the independent and fearless policy of their leader, Lord Ewly. The resolution declared the association’s commitment to remaining non-political and not attending any unauthorized meetings of labour parties. Mr Naughton questions Mr Dwyer’s objections to his non-political principles and mentions his failed attempt to secure a position on the Limerick County Council through co-option.
In response to Mr Conway’s remarks, Mr Naughton dismisses the derogatory labels used against him, such as “gutter-sparrow” and “ragtail of the old grand jury.” He asserts that he has never aligned himself with any particular party and has always been actively involved in political work, often taking a leading role. Mr Naughton criticizes Mr Conway’s reliability and information, pointing out the inaccuracies in his claim of making self-sacrifice by catching a train to attend the meeting. He suggests that Mr Conway’s focus on vanity and vulgarity may overshadow his commitment to the cause.
In conclusion, Mr Naughton suggests that Mr Conway’s derogatory remarks may come back to haunt him, indicating that he may face further challenges from those he dismissed as insignificant. The response from Mr Naughton sheds light on the ongoing dispute within the Labour movement and the differing viewpoints among its members.
Limerick Echo – Tuesday 05 April 1904
