Rickard Deasy (campaigner)

Rickard Joseph Gerard Deasy (1916–1999), born in Terryglass, County Tipperary was a prominent farmers' rights campaigner in Ireland, Captain with the Irish army, and a member of the Labour Party. He was President of the National Farmers Association of Ireland between 1961 and 1967

Personal life

Rickard Deasy was the son of Major Henry Hugh Peter Deasy,[1] founder of the Deasy Motor Car Company. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford.[2] In 1961, he succeeded Dr. Juan Green[3] as President of the National Farmers' Association of Ireland.

Farmers' Rights Campaign

In 1966, frustrated with the desperate economic situation of Irish farmers and the hostile Minister for Agriculture, Charlie Haughey. Deasy organized what was to be a 30,000-man walking protest from Cork to the Irish Parliament at Dáil Éireann in Dublin.[4] This was followed by a 20-day sit-in protest and a six-month campaign of civil disobedience by farmers, culminating in the Irish Farmers' Association being officially recognized by the Irish Government.

Recognition of the Farmers' Association was seen as a major step forward for social partnership in Ireland, and a consultative approach to economic participation. It attracted widespread media attention, coming at a time of general distrust towards groups advocating greater economic equality. It was considered to have damaged the political aspirations of Charlie Haughey.[5]


References

  1. ↑ http://www.thepeerage.com/p35028.htm#i350279
  2. ↑ http://www.thepeerage.com/p37990.htm#i379891
  3. ↑ p. 84. Irish Independent. 22/04/2014.
  4. ↑ http://www.independent.ie/business/farming/why-his-likes-will-never-be-seen-again-26144694.html
  5. ↑ Charles Haughey#Minister for Agriculture: 1966 Farmers.27 Strike


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