Tipperary seminar to acknowledge the impact Canon John Hayes had on Ireland

A seminar titled "The Priest, The People, and the Light", will take place at Templeneiry Old Church, Bansha, Co. Tipperary, on Saturday October 21st at 11am. The seminar will look at the impact that Canon Hayes had on Rural Development and on Rural Electrification and will include some archive material on Muintir.

The seminar will be preceded by Mass at The Church of the Annunciation, Bansha at 10am, which is being celebrated for the late Canon John Hayes, Founder of Muintir na Tíre and for deceased members of Muintir na Tíre. There will also be the unveiling of a plaque to Canon Hayes in the Church grounds after Mass. Canon Hayes was born John Martin Hayes, in a Land League hut at Murroe, Co Limerick on the 11th of November 1887.

One of ten siblings, seven of Hayes' brothers and sisters died of malnutrition and disease over a twelve-year period. The family had been evicted from Lord Cloncurry's estate in 1872 for non-payment of rent, and the family were to live in temporary accommodation for nearly 13 years until they returned to Moher in 1894. Canon Hayes came to national prominence with the foundation of Muintir na Tíre in 1931, a rural development organisation which had core principles of neighbourliness, self-help and self-sufficiency.

In 1937 the organisation was reconstituted and based on the parish unit with all members of rural communities involved. The first guild of Muintir na Tíre was formed in Tipperary in February 1937. Hayes quickly became a national figure, using newspapers and radio to spread the gospel of rural self-help. Insisting on a non-sectarian association, he memorably reminded those who advocated an exclusive catholic membership that 'this country is becoming so Catholic it forgets to be Christian', and he began relentlessly to organise social weeks, vocational education, and summer schools. Cooperating with groups such as the Irish Countrywomen's Association, Muintir na Tíre was instrumental in promoting parish councils during the 1939–45 emergency and assisting in turf and food production.

He was appointed Parish Priest of Bansha & Kilmoyler in County Tipperary in 1946. Due largely to his endeavours, a factory - Bansha Rural Industries - was started and enjoyed some great success producing preserves for the Irish home market. Bansha was to the forefront in developing many Muintir na Tíre initiatives and for a time in the 1950s enjoyed the soubriquet of The Model Parish. He spearheaded many initiatives including Rural Electrification, the "Parish Plan for Agriculture", and the setting up of small industry in rural areas in an attempt to stop emigration. A lifelong teetotaller, a highlight of Hayes' career was his address to the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association in Croke Park in June 1949 to celebrate their 50th year of operation. The event was the largest Catholic gathering in Dublin since the Eucharistic Congress of 1932. He died on the 30th of January 1957 in a Tipperary nursing home and is buried at Bansha Cemetery.

The seminar will look at some of the key aspects of the Canon's work including the Rural Weeks, Rural Electrification (This year marks 75 years since electricity came to Bansha), and what it was like to follow in the footsteps of Canon Hayes. 
Speakers for the Seminar include;

Dr Barry Sheppard - a Belfast-based historian and formerly the host of History Now on NVTV. Barry will present on 'Muintir na Tíre's Rural Weeks: Bringing the World to Ireland and Ireland to the World'.
Kieran Hoare - Archivist at University of Galway will present on the Muintir na Tíre Archives which are housed at the University.
Bernard O'Connell - ex ESB Staff Member, and Vintage Electrical Appliance Collector will present on Rural Electrification.
Martin Quinn - former National President of Muintir na Tíre, will present on following in the footsteps of Canon John Hayes.
There will be time also for discussion after each presentation.

There is no entry charge to the Seminar but booking is advisable on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/ the-priest-the-people-and-the- light-canon-hayes-and-muintir- na-tire-tickets-719301830137? aff=erelexpmlt
Further information on the Seminar from Martin Quinn on 087-6101628.