A Farmer Takes A Stand for The Land, Connemara, Ireland 1983

A farmer in the west of Ireland is looking to ensure that small family farms across the country are allowed to survive.
President of the National Land League and small farmer Joe Molloy on the purpose and aims of the organisation. Joe Molloy works a small farm in an isolated, hilly and hostile part of Connemara. He is typical of many of the farmers who he now represents as President of the Land League.
The aim of the league is to ensure that small family farms are allowed to survive.
Joe Molloy got involved in the National Land League to fight the injustices endured by many small farmers. Many small farms are being bought up by the rich who exploit the land for quick profit. Joe argues that government legislation is required to if the small farm is to survive.
80 per cent of all the farmers of this country are small farmers and 60 per cent of those would be part-time farmers.
Many small farmers need to have part-time jobs or draw the dole (Farmer’s Aid) as they cannot depend fully on farming for their livelihood.
The modern Land League began in the sixties and was led for fifteen years by Dan McCarthy who championed the cause of his fellow small farmers. The League has had close associations with trade unions often sharing a platform with them. Land division and redistribution is the area of most concern for the Land League and protest marches against foreign investors and speculators became commonplace amongst its members during the sixties.
Under the new presidency of Joe Molloy, the National Land League will continue to agitate for the inclusion of social issues surrounding farming life. For Joe, the National Land League has the same right to be involved politically as the large farming organisation the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), which he believes is not representing small farmers.
The IFA represents the rancher and the big, rich farmer.
Joe describes how in this area of Connemara over the past sixty years, over a hundred houses have been closed forever with families having to leave the land due to economic pressure. Joe would welcome industry to the area to provide additional employment to allow small and part-time farmers to remain on the land.
‘Ireland’s Eye’ reports on 10 March 1983. The reporter is Mairead McGuinness.

[@paddyman2796]

Joe has been talking sense for years but no one would take him seriously a great man

[@TheSpotleight]

An incredibly well spoken man

[@user-td4do3op2d]

And it's probably his second language

[@MikeyJMJ]

A great tragedy what happened to small farm Ireland. The claws of the greedy ruined rural communities.

[@PDScally]

Jesus that man is so right, so honest and true, his like are not to be found anymore.

[@mrmc2465]

we still have a nation that believes government intervention is the only solution so I'd say he is ten a penny today

[@jimbobjimjim6500]

@@mrmc2465 Stop talking a yank right winger.

[@adbl.d6324]

beautifully said with passionate presence of mind.

[@animallover19581]

That's the way its been since Adam was a boy, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Some things will never change. A very well spoken small farmer. Hope you are still going well. Pity we dont have more like you.

[@turloughkennedy6579]

Still hasn't happened. My own family have been facing this problem for years. Ireland no longer supports small farmers.

[@tonemc6047]

The agenda 21 plan is to destroy the rural communities as they only want the masses in the cities.

[@monkeybudge]

@@tonemc6047 lol, yes the non-binding UN resolution that calls for greater local government involvement in sustainable agricultural and urban development is the problem.

[@tonemc6047]

@@monkeybudge Yeah keep swallowing the bullshit Ian .

[@monkeybudge]

@@tonemc6047 The internet is too much for you Tony. You’ve been corrupted

[@tonemc6047]

@@monkeybudge It’s not me that’s been corrupted brother I’m as straight as a dye.

[@john_6232]

The Irish government only takes a stand for huge multinational companies

[@misteryman5109]

Not much has changed in the past 40 years I'm afraid.

[@davidorourke4311]

This may backfire by the time Ireland is forced to give up the 12.5 per cent Corporation Tax. People will learn (unfortunately the hard way) that not encouraging the development of a native industrial base makes no sense and the large majority of International Companies have no allegence to any community.

[@anthonymctigue9038]

Yes

[@toyotaprius79]

And the IFA ("food drink Industry") let's not forget

[@realitysosubtle2746]

reminds me of Keith Wood, not just physically...well spoken and intelligent too.

[@gerardwalsh6557]

Big joe is very intelligent man and is always fighting the good fight, he's also first cousin to mick molley who played for ireland,

[@realitysosubtle2746]

@@gerardwalsh6557 Nice one! He's still going strong so! Good to hear!

[@LogosRenaissance]

What Keith woods?

[@jamesbradshaw3389]

Good on you Joe for standing up for the less well-off, the world needs more very fine and smart people like you.

[@shamiemcguire1588]

Compassion for others, regardless of the costs. We don't hear that anymore. Thanks for sharing this. It's so important.

[@Sean-fb7cy]

A modern day prophet .. A very wise and smart man. We should have elected people like him

[@davidorourke4311]

A modern day prophet I agree with however this doesn't make someone like Joe an electable candidate in every part of the Country and Apathy may be the biggest problem in Irish elections at this point plus we lost even more power with the enactment of the Lisbon Treaty.

[@timscan7273]

He was right about the human aspect being removed, and the IFA. This was the 80's, and look what happened in the last 5 years with the directors renumeration scandal!

[@bruceread2805]

Nothing but respect for this man

[@conormorgan6280]

An eloquent speaker and a champion

[@joenavanodo3780]

Men like this, and women too, live out their lives throughout the ages and never know what metal they are made of, until they are tested.

[@charliedoherty5965]

Well spoken man.

[@katooloughlin]

Thank you so much for these 💚

[@Discover-Ireland]

A very wise man.

[@dermotanthonydavidkyne1019]

He speaks very well. Better than I. Excellent enunciation, non obstant his missing teeth. Very coherent expression of his ideas.

[@johnscully1836]

A man with great vision for the time, but unfortunately forty years on nothing changes..

[@judymanning2538]

Thank you 🍀

[@johndowney8007]

The government of this lovely Ireland is hell bent on distorying it

[@kokobwild2413]

Good on Joe!

[@davidballantine4781]

The human dimension, he is so right, its what we are losing on the land, people connected to their food production is some way is so very important, and for their children to see it

[@charliedoherty5965]

Is this man still alive..my great grandmother was connemara..

[@DianeD862]

Just love these old stories and Joe's store love Ireland 🌈 all governments are the same I'am afraid.We have Boris and his cronies God help us.Would rather be in Ireland and Ireland's any day love to Ireland and peace to you all.We watch Farmer Phil everyone should follow him he's the best in the world.☮️☮️☮️☮️🌈🌈🌈🌈🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪💯💯💯💯💯

[@MartinMartinm]

The real life bull McCabe.

[@sanyopoweraid1]

Don't we just have to accept "the facts of the matter?" asks the young journalist. the facts of the matter are that some people have more wealth than they ever need in a thousand lifetimes and others are starving and have no wealth at all. The facts of the matter include the fact that this situation is obscene. The facts of the matter include the fact that we have created this situation and it is in our power to change it. We need to develop this social conscience that Joe spoke of back then. If we can't grow our own food to eat and share, then maybe we should start eating the rich.

[@mrmc2465]

Maybe some people need to stop taking the dole and actually do something for themselves as well rather than complaining about other people having too much all the time

[@davidorourke4311]

Interesting you mentioned we can't grow our own food. For example Ireland is a net importer of Carrots and there is no geographic or climatic reason why this happened. Shocking.

[@sanyopoweraid1]

@@mrmc2465 Oh, so you think that's the reason there's so much poverty and inequality in the world? Because poor people are lazy? Get your head out of the bog. If tomorrow morning everyone you deem to be lazy suddenly went striving for the top, they'd all end up with good wages? See where this is going? The users and abusers, the leaches, they're all at the top, my lad. You're shilling for them for free.

[@georgel74]

Dé Valeras ireland.. Great speaker Mr Molloy .

[@silverbullet2478]

Legend of the man on the land

[@Dumblievable]

What's amazing as a Dub is, this man said something my Grandfather said when I was growing up as a child in the 80s. Pawn off the small farmers with IFA grants and gobble it up and I still see it to this day. IFA turned great Irish farmers into corrupted politicians. Also the most corrupt people in Ireland. Driving around in Masseys and John Deers while the small farmer struggles. Well done IFA.

[@michealofloinn2539]

Fair play dhuit a Joe!

[@eireann6135]

Support local Irish farmers have been last 10 year and honestly it's so much better for it

[@Gravy_moat]

My great uncle RIP

[@CAVALIERKNIGHT33]

Take a stand for land and take a stand for housing.

[@MyFoxworld]

@@matthewbarry376 In the cities you don't even get a house anymore. Just a flat pack from Germany, falling to bits after twenty years.

[@MyFoxworld]

This was back in the 80s. While this video was being made the TD's were selling off everything government owned to anyone that made a nice donation via a brown envelope. 😀 This is the time all future Irish oil/gas was signed away to Shell for a big fat cheque of zero. Absolutely nothing. Not a penny. But It's great to know that was 40 years ago and no such shenanigans go on like that now, The days of the irish people paying tax on just about every fkin thing and the likes of massive billion dollar companies like amazon google Coca-Cola ect paying pennies to the pound are long gone. No way jos... 👀

[@davidorourke4311]

The rural depopulation joe was describing and speaking out against the reasons for it is a world phenomenon unfortunately. For example over the last 50 years in Italy up to 2,400 Villages have had total population collapse. Inflation is unhelpful to rural communities everywhere.

[@brianmullins6064]

He is so right

[@jimfreyne]

Well said. But i wonder, what good is it to have a voice if the ears hear but dont listen.

[@anthonymctigue9038]

The truth is bitter

[@colmmagee124]

Maith thu Joe,Your words should be a manifesto.

[@michealofloinn2539]

Togha fir a Joe!

[@dazpatreg]

*Dúiche Sheoigheach, not Connemara. Includes Tuar Mhic Éadaigh in Mayo

[@michealofloinn2539]

Correct, I'm from and living in Dúiche Sheoigheach. I see Connemara used in the area so often now, mainly for marketing reasons. There should be more pride in Dúiche Sheoigheach Joyce Country.

[@dazpatreg]

@@michealofloinn2539 bíonn daoine ag ceapadh amach go nach bhfuil tadaí eilí ann seachas Connamara agus creidim go mba chart dófa níos mó bhróid a bhaint as ainm Dúiche Sheoigheach, an áit inár cloídh na Dúchrónaigh

[@michealofloinn2539]

@@dazpatreg An bhfuil aithne agam ort?

[@dazpatreg]

@@michealofloinn2539 ní shílim go bhfuil ach bhí barúil a'm go raibh Gaeilge agat mar gheall ar d'ainm úsáideora

[@owenrua6192]

The situation is far worse today .

[@jamesoneill352]

Sadly the small farmer is gone now Biggar and bigger it getting. The big farmer of today is the small farmer of tomorrow. Big herds of 500 to 700 cows emerging here in South Tipp and Cork Greed is playing a big part

[@anthonymctigue9038]

THATS THE TRUTH RICH HAS TO MUCH AND THATS THE WORLD OVER

[@michaelroche6181]

Togha fir Joe!

[@charliekavanagh1217]

Out standing in his own field

[@johnmurdoch8534]

Prophetic when what looks at the shell of ireland today. I remember that country as a child in the 80s and 90s and its only become worse since.

[@noelmaher4633]

There is a Movie in that mans argument..😉

[@edwardoutthere3189]

Love what he said one problem big cheques going t farmers from Europe so farmers do fuck all in land like this to better themselves where in Holland no fat cheques

[@colmgeiran3476]

Bhí an ceart aige agus tá an ceart aige agus a chlann.

[@hilltop521]

The story is the same all over the world the rich get richer

[@GreenOval_Adventurers]

I’m afraid if you don’t have the money that’s it! Go out and make more money and use your Brain and buy it yourself. There should never be handouts.

[@russianbot1420]

Muh government.

[@jimbobjimjim6500]

Muh foreign investors and land speculators.

[@ciaranmcmahon1991]

What ever happened to him I wonder *had a quick read, he's in Joyce Country North corrib American tourism hot spot/gaeltacht

[@gerardwalsh6557]

Big joe is still live and well and is still fighting the good fight,

[@ciaranmcmahon1991]

@@gerardwalsh6557 be a good interview for what's his thoughts on Ireland are today

[@thelasttruegael6517]

The journalist is exactly the type of person who cannot and will not understand a connection to anything deeper and meaningful than materialism.