The Life of Michael Davitt
The hero and reformer Michael Davitt was born in Straide, County Mayo, on 25 March 1846, during the Great Famine.
Michael was one of five children born to Martin Davitt and Catherine Kielty. Four of the children were born in Straide: Mary (1841), Anne (1848), and Sabina (1850). His only brother, James, was born later in Haslingden on 30 June 1853 but sadly died two years later, on 12 March 1855.
Martin and Catherine Davitt were tenants on the John Knox estate in Straide. When they were evicted from their home, the family spent a short time in Swinford Workhouse before emigrating to England in search of a better life.
The Davitts travelled from Dublin to Liverpool and then on to Haslingden in Lancashire, where many families from the Straide area had already settled. Life was difficult, but the local Irish community helped them through illness and poverty.
When they arrived in England, Martin Davitt found temporary lodging for his family. After only two days, they were evicted again when Michael fell ill with measles. A kind worker named James Bonner, from County Armagh, took the family into his home, even though he already had four small children of his own.
The census of 1851 records the Davitts living as lodgers with Owen Egan’s family on Wilkinson Street, a small house that at the time held fifteen people. Later, the Davitts managed to rent a home at Rock Hall, where many Irish families from the west of Ireland lived.
Martin and Catherine worked as hawkers to earn a living, and a year later Martin found work as a farm labourer. Literate in English, he also wrote letters for neighbours and taught others to read and write, helping his community stay connected and build better opportunities for the future.
Michael’s Childhood and Early Work Experiences
When he was only nine years old, Michael Davitt began working in a cotton mill in Haslingden. Pretending to be over thirteen, he worked sixty hours a week for a small wage of two shillings and sixpence.
He later worked at Whittaker’s Mill and then at Stellfoxe’s Victoria Mill near Baxenden, outside Haslingden. In May 1857, while working there, his right arm was caught in a machine and badly injured. The injury required amputation and changed the course of his life.
Following his recovery, a local cotton manufacturer named John Dean became Michael’s benefactor. Thanks to his support, Davitt was able to return to education and attended the Wesleyan school run by George Poskett for four years, where he developed a lifelong commitment to learning and social reform.
The Fenians
In 1861, Michael Davitt found work again under improved conditions with Henry Cockcroft, who ran a post office, printing, and stationery business. Keen to continue learning, Davitt attended evening classes at the local Mechanics’ Institute, where he had access to books, newspapers, and lectures. It was there that he developed a deep interest in Irish history and politics.
During this time, Davitt became involved in the Fenian movement, which sought Irish independence. By 1870, he had risen to the position of organising secretary for Northern England and Scotland, playing a key role in mobilising support for the cause.
On 14 May 1870, Davitt was arrested at Paddington Station in London for attempting to smuggle arms to Ireland. Convicted of treason-felony, he was sentenced to fifteen years in prison. After serving seven and a half years, he was released on a ticket of leave in January 1878, along with three other prisoners. On their return to Ireland, they were warmly welcomed by national leaders, including Charles Stewart Parnell and James Daly.
The Land Reform Movement
The growing demand for land reform gained national attention in January 1879 when James Daly, editor of the Connaught Telegraph and a member of the Tenants Defence Association, encouraged local tenants to organise a public meeting in Irishtown. The goal was to draw attention to the injustices and evictions faced by tenant farmers across Mayo.
Michael Davitt helped to organise the Irishtown meeting, though he could not attend in person as he was still under police supervision after his release from prison. The event, chaired by James Daly of Castlebar, drew thousands of people who gathered peacefully to call for fair rents and an end to forced evictions.
The meeting had a powerful impact. It led to eviction notices being withdrawn and rent reductions of up to twenty-five percent. The success of Irishtown marked a turning point in Irish social history, proving that mass public demonstrations could bring about real and lasting change for ordinary tenants and farmers.
The Formation of the Irish Land League
After the success of the Irishtown meeting, further land reform gatherings inspired the creation of the Land League of Mayo. On 16 August 1879, members of the Tenants Defence Association – including Michael Davitt and James Daly – met at Daly’s Hotel in Castlebar to formalise the movement. Just two months later, in October 1879, the National Land League of Ireland was established in Dublin, with Charles Stewart Parnell as President and Michael Davitt serving as one of its secretaries.
The League’s central aim was known as the “Three F’s”: fixity of tenure, fair rent, and free sale of land. These principles became the foundation for Ireland’s campaign for tenant rights and agricultural reform.
Davitt and other Land League leaders travelled across the country, holding meetings and encouraging non-violent resistance to unfair rents and evictions. One of the most notable events took place in 1880 at Lough Mask House near Ballinrobe, where Captain Charles Boycott, an agent for Lord Erne, became the focus of a nationwide protest.
When Boycott continued to enforce high rents, local people refused to work for him or provide goods and services. This peaceful form of resistance – refusing cooperation – caught international attention. American journalist James Redpath reported the story in the New York Tribune and popularised the term “boycott,” a word that has since entered common use around the world.
Gladstone’s Land Act 1881
Gladstone’s Land Act of 1881, followed by the Arrears of Rent Act of 1882 – introduced as part of the Kilmainham Treaty – brought significant improvements to tenant rights and effectively marked the end of the Land War. With this success, Charles Stewart Parnell and the Land League turned their focus to the next great political goal: achieving Home Rule for Ireland.
Michael Davitt continued his political work and was elected as Member of Parliament for North Meath in 1892. His time in office was cut short after his election was overturned due to accusations of clerical interference. The following year, in 1893, he won another seat, this time representing Northeast Cork, but was again unseated because of bankruptcy.
Despite these setbacks, Davitt remained committed to public service. In the 1895 general election, he was once more elected as MP, representing South Mayo – a testament to his perseverance and the respect he earned among Irish voters.
International Social Justice Campaigner
Michael Davitt continued his work for equality on a global scale. He travelled to Australia and New Zealand, where he attended large public meetings to acknowledge support and donations raised for the Land League. During these visits, he also spoke passionately about the rights and living conditions of the Māori and Aboriginal peoples, drawing attention to issues of injustice and colonisation.
In 1903, Davitt worked as a journalist for the New York American Journal and travelled to Russia to report on the persecution of Jewish communities in Bessarabia. The following year, in 1904, he publicly condemned anti-Semitism after a sermon delivered in Limerick by Fr Creagh, a Redemptorist priest.
Davitt was also a strong advocate for workers’ rights. He played a key role in the trade union movement in both Ireland and Britain and, in his later years, supported the development of the English Labour Party. His lifelong commitment to social justice extended far beyond Ireland, earning him recognition as a truly international humanitarian and reformer.
GAA & Glasgow Celtic Patron
Michael Davitt was one of the founding patrons of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Alongside Charles Stewart Parnell and Archbishop Croke, he played an important role in supporting Irish sport and culture. To this day, many GAA clubs, pitches, and stands across Ireland are named in his honour.
Davitt was also a patron of Glasgow Celtic Football Club, which was established to support Irish immigrants living in Glasgow. It is widely believed that he suggested the club’s name, “Celtic.” As an honorary board member, Davitt took part in the opening of the new Celtic Park in 1892, where he famously laid the first sod of turf using a silver spade presented to him as a gift. He remained a lifelong supporter of Celtic and its values of community, equality, and solidarity.
The Death of Michael Davitt
Michael Davitt passed away from sepsis at Mount Elphis Hospital in Dublin on 30 May 1906, following complications after a tooth extraction. In keeping with his wishes, his funeral was intended to be private. His body was brought quietly to the Carmelite Friary on Clarendon Street in Dublin.
Despite these wishes, thousands of people came to pay their respects. Over 20,000 mourners filed past his coffin before it was transported by train to Foxford, County Mayo. Crowds gathered at every station along the route to honour his memory.
Davitt was laid to rest in the grounds of Straide Friary, beside the church where he had been baptised. His burial place remains a site of reflection and remembrance for those who continue to celebrate his contribution to Irish history and social justice.