Time to relocate statue of Lord Farnham?
The following is a letter sent into the editor and it's published in this week's Anglo-Celt newspaper.
A Chara,
The statue of one of the Lord Farnhams (1899 to 1868) has occupied a prime position in Cavan town for almost 150 years. Maybe it is now time some more worthy person took his place outside the impressive Johnston Cavan library building. The Farnham statue could be relocated to the Cavan museum in Ballyjamesduff or to the Radisson Hotel, his former home.
It should be noted that the 11th Baron Farnham who was opposed to Home Rule plans in 1913 owned 24,000 acres of land at the time. In 1914 this man arranged to have several hundred members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) trained on his estate. It is also suspected that he arranged to have arms smuggled in for the UVF.
How about replacing Lord Farnham with a statue of the Church of Ireland Bishop of Kilmore & Ardagh, William Bedell, who arranged to translate the bible into Irish? When he was appointed in 1629, he led a simple life and reformed the abuses of his diocese, which had been notorious for its corruption, bribery and graft. To further encourage literacy and religious enlightenment, he encouraged the use of the Irish language in all aspects of ecclesiastical affairs.
Bishop Bedell was also noted for his even application of the law and providing help against corruption, regardless of a person's religious adherence.
During the 1641 rebellion, because of Bishop Bedell's popularity among Catholic and Protestants alike, not only did Protestant Irish refugees quickly flee to his home but also Catholics who were unwilling to join the rebellion.
As the rebellion grew increasingly bloody and entire Protestant families were murdered, Bedell’s property became a place of refuge for hundreds of families seeking shelter from the rebels. Unfortunately, the rebels seized the Bishop and others whom they imprisoned on the island castle of Lough Oughter, Cloughoughter Castle. When the rebellion began to subside, his captors, fearing for their own safety, released Bishop Bedell.
But the aged Bishop never recovered from his hardships, which broke down a constitution already weakened by age, and he died of typhus, on February 7, 1642
Kind regards/ Le gach dea ghuí
Liam de Paor, Carrickfern, Cavan