The Catholic Association
Above : Picture Of Daniel O’Connell
No real progress was being made, and in 1823, O’Connell resolved on a new policy. In conjunction with his friend, Richard Lalor Shiel, he founded the Catholic Association. The aim of this society was not limited to gaining for Catholics the right of sitting in Parliament. It purposed to bring into prominence the chief grievances from which the bulk of the Irish people suffered! with a view to their redress. The rack-renting ; the confiscation OF tenants’ improvements ; the jobbery in public life, were all to be attacked.
In order to provide funds a regular rent was established, to which every Catholic in Ireland was asked to contribute, the minimum being fixed at the rate of a penny a month, so as to be within the reach of the poorest. The clergy in each parish were invited to arrange the collections which often took place at the chapel doors on Sundays. This, too, a new departure. Since the far-off days of the Confederation of Kilkenny, the Catholic bishops and priests had not been wont to appeal prominently in politics, nor had any effort been made by the leaders of the earlier association, the Catholic Committee, to induce them to do it. It was left to O’Connell to perceive that the parochial clergy of Ireland would furnish perhaps the only lever by which, in the then state of society the mass of the people could be moved. All through the darkness of this Penal Days the pagape had shown himself the friend of his oppression flock. In a great measure he shared their poverty ; yet, by virtue of hi sacerdotal character, and of his better education, he was revered and looked up to, as well in temporal as in spiritual matters. In most districts the peasant knew no other man of social standing, and, as presumed, of knowledge superior to his own, to whom he could go will be advised in his difficulties. Therefore, in the priest his trust was entirely then the priests could be won over to the side of the Catholic Association, the people would follow them, and what Government could resist the determination of nearly five million souls ?
