Sir, - I write concerning the proposal of a Labour Minister for Education, Ms Bhreathnach, to make history a non compulsory subject for the Junior Certificate examination.
James Connolly, a founding father of the Labour Party, would be alarmed. The first chapter of his book, Labour in Ireland, is entitled "The Lessons of History". He writes "were history what it ought to be, an accurate literary reflex of the times with which it professes to deal, the pages of history would be almost entirely engrossed with a recital of the wrongs and struggles of the labouring people, constituting, as they have ever done, the vast mass of mankind. But history in general, treats the working class as the manipulator of politics treats the working man - that is to say with contempt . . . Irish history is no exception to the rule. Irish history has ever been written by the master class in the interests of the master class . . . The present series of articles are intended primarily to prove that contention. To prove it by a reference to the evidence - documentary and otherwise - adduced illustrating the state of the Irish working class in the past, the almost total indifference of our Irish politicians to the sufferings of the mass of the people."
The Junior Certificate history course does attempt to give some understanding of the social issues in Ireland that have shaped the course of history in modern times. Connolly would have been happy that all children should have the opportunity to benefit from such a course at some stage in their lives. By rejecting Connolly's vision, the Minister for Education is in danger of identifying herself with those politicians, whom he identified as ignoring the sufferings of the mass of the people." - Yours, etc.,
Glenstal Abbey, Murroe,
Co Limerick.