‘Back to the Land’ (1881) by Dr. Thomas Nulty, Bishop of Meath

[NB — For background to this post see:

Images from the Irish Land War

Images of the Evictions of Irish Tenants

An Introduction to the Irish Land War 1879-1882

Dr. Nulty’s Obituary in the New York Times, December 25th, 1898

An Appraisal of this Essay by the highly popular and influential American economist Henry George]

DEDICATION

To the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese of Meath:

Dearly Beloved Brethren,-

I venture to take the liberty of dedicating the following Essay to you, as a mark of my respect and affection. In this Essay I do not, of course, address myself to you as your Bishop, for I have no divine commission to enlighten you on your civil rights, or to instruct you in the principles of Land Tenure or Political Economy. I feel, however, a deep concern even in your temporal interests — deeper, indeed, than in my own; for what temporal interests can I have save those I must always feel in your welfare? It is, then, because the Land Question is one not merely of vital importance, but one of life and death to you, as well as to the majority of my countrymen, that I have ventured to write on it at all.