Discuss the impact made by Archbishop Mannix on the Irish Catholic community in Melbourne in the early twentieth century.
This essay will discuss how the Irish influence in Australia remained strong into the twentieth century, by examining the case study of Archbishop Daniel Mannix as an extremely influential figure in the lives of primarily Irish Catholics within Melbourne, but also extended to other religious communities and into the rest of the country. The Irish have been coming to Australia for generations, and over time, their numbers and power grew significantly. Mannix was from county Cork who was appointed to a parish in Melbourne in 1913 and became Archbishop of Melbourne in 1917. He became very involved in politics and was very open and vocal about events happening in Ireland, Australia and around the world; speaking out about Home Rule, the First World War and the 1916 rising among others. His influence was so strong that during World War I, when Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes tried to introduce conscription and failed, he held the Archbishop responsible. The media attention Mannix attracted was huge with his every movement and speech documented all over the country. Opinions of this controversial figure were mixed, Irish Catholics primarily in Melbourne and Victoria were huge supporters of his, whereas those who were pro war and pro conscription held a negative opinion of Mannix. Nevertheless, he influenced almost all communities within Australian society both positively and negatively.
The essay is primary source driven, and newspaper articles from the time are the best way to express the influence Mannix made on Australia. However, because the primary sources are so focused on Mannix, directly, secondary sources were necessary for context. James Jupps’ ‘The Australian people: and encyclopedia of the nation, its people and their origin’ was useful to determine the demographics of Melbourne and Victoria during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. It gave useful background to the Irish Catholic community that Mannix would have been the head off. Similarly, to appropriately analyse the primary source’s reference to Mannix and his conscription campaign, it was valuable to examine the other side of the argument. For this reason, Carl Bridge’s book ‘William Hughes: Australia’ gave an accurate description of Hughes side of the conscription and campaign and why he disliked Mannix. Anne Beggs Sunter’s research of The Evening Echo was very helpful when using one of the papers pieces as the main primary source for this essay, and it could be used to identify the papers objectives and biases as an anti- conscription paper. Finally, Robin Archer’s article ‘Stopping War and Stopping Conscription: Australian Labour’s Response to World War I in Comparative Perspective’ gave further context on the conscription campaign, without viewing it through an individual’s perspective.
The correlation between Irish- born and the Catholic population in Victoria is consistently higher than other states, meaning that the Irish made up a vast majority of Catholics in Victoria, and a majority of the Irish were Catholic. [1] To define the Irish in Victoria in the nineteenth century exclusively in terms of the Irish- born would be too limiting. There were many more people than just the Irish- born who both identified themselves and were identified by others as ‘Irish’.[2] The Roman Catholic community in Melbourne that Mannix would have been the head of, was made up mostly, but not exclusively of Irish and those of Irish decent. Although, there was a small minority of Catholics in Melbourne who were not part of the close knit Irish community, there is little to no evidence of Mannix ever attending to them directly. His speeches and his actions were reflective of a determined attitude that the Catholic community, was an Irish community.
With the outbreak of the First World War Australia joined immediately on the side of Empire. The Australian government allowed the citizens of Australia to vote on whether ‘they agreed that they should be compelled to fight.’ The people voted no not once but twice both in 1916 and 1917. The State of Victoria voted yes in 1916 but their vote changed to no in 1917, which can be partly credited to Archbishop Mannix. Consulting the citizen about matters such as this was unique to Australia during World War I.[3] After losing the conscription plebiscite for the second time Billy Hughes wrote to Lloyd George, Prime Minister of Britain, and claimed, ‘[The church’s] influence killed conscription. One of their archbishops – Mannix – is a Sinn Féiner. And I am trying to make up my mind whether I should prosecute him for statements hindering recruiting or deport him.’[4] According to Hughes the conscription plebiscite was a failure because of ‘the selfish vote, and the shirker vote and the Irish vote’. Hughes was ‘hell- bent on sowing discord amongst the Australian people, who would set class against class, creed against creed’[5]
The extent of Mannix’s influence only grew after the anti- conscription campaign won. One event that emphasised the influence of Mannix was the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in 1918. Thousands of people attended the St. Patrick day celebrations in 1918, which was extended over a few days in different towns in Victoria. On 22 March 1918 a concert was held in the Ballarat Coliseum where Archbishop Mannix made an address. Between 8,000 to 10,000 people heard the Archbishop speak. His speech was very political, criticising the war and conscription, and promoting Irish identity and support for the Irish cause. According to The Evening Echo the local newspaper in Ballarat, ‘the Australian Catholic Church was also the Irish Catholic Church’.[6] Mannix continues to associate the Catholic faith with the Irish and vice versa, claiming that ‘not even if the Pope were here would they forget St. Patrick and Ireland’.[7]
The address made by Archbishop Mannix during the extended period of the St. Patrick Day celebrations in 1918, was an address he made on the 22 March in Ballarat, a town outside the city of Melbourne, and was published the next day in The Evening Echo, a local Ballarat newspaper. The newspaper heading read ‘Archbishop Mannix, remarkable demonstration by immense audience. At St. Patrick’s night concert. A striking address.’[8] The newspaper article showed undeniably, the extent of the influence Mannix held over the Catholic community. The Coliseum, the building in which the demonstration is held can hold between ‘8,000 and 10,000 people’ according to The Evening Echo, which also claims it was full to capacity.[9] The speech was said to be in response to ‘loyalist’ protests at the Melbourne demonstration the day before, where protesters demanded the deportation of the Archbishop. According to Bishop Foley who opened the address, spoke of the moment Mannix got the news of the protest, ‘I was with the Archbishop this morning when he read the dreadful and terrible things in the morning papers. I can tell you after reading them he did not seem to be the least bit alarmed.’[10] Mannix addresses these protests in his speech as well as touching on many other issues primarily the Irish catholic community in Australia, the conscription issue and how he is represented in the press. [11] The Evening Echo claimed to be the only anti- conscription publication in Victoria, and played a significant role in Victoria voting no in the 1917 conscription referendum.[12] The is likely the reason why the paper appears to read so much in favour of Dr Mannix and his address.
The ‘Irishness’ of the event emphasised at every opportunity, with Irish singers’ dancers and pipe bands playing songs like ‘the wearing of the green’, ‘Garryowen’, ‘sweet Killaloe’, ‘old Ireland free once more’, ‘let Erin remember the days of old’, ‘the harp that once through Tara’s hall’, ‘the minstrel boy’, ‘Nora Creha’ and ‘rakes of mellow’.[13]
According to The Evening Echo the crowd was uncontrollable when Archbishop Mannix approached to make his speech. ‘An indescribable scene’ where the crowd ‘cheered, and cheered, and cheered again’ until ‘the volume of the sound made the hall boom like a mighty drum’. They waved ‘handkerchiefs, hats and umbrellas’, and they jumped on the seats and climbed on the shoulders of those in front of them ‘to get a view of the impressive figure on the platform.’ [14]
At the beginning of his speech Mannix briefly addressed the protesters from the night before, and joked that if he was deported from Melbourne he could find refuge in Ballarat. [15]The majority of the speech however addressed the conscription issue. He stated, ‘I, as everybody knows am a determined opponent of conscription under any circumstances.’[16] He also focused majorly on how the papers were portraying his character. He claimed that in one day he read in the paper about himself that he was ‘a disreputable person that should be deported’, and that that he was also going to help in ‘voluntary recruitment’[17]. The latter he states is a lie, but uses these examples to show the hypocrisy of the papers. ‘It shows what a versatile man I must be that on one hand I ought to be deported and on the other people say I am perfectly satisfactory in the matter of recruiting.’[18] Mannix goes on, in attempt to clear his name, he states that if recruiting for the war was done in a different manner without conscription, that if ‘decent men will undertake the voluntary recruiting movement in Australia’ that he will not speak ‘one word in opposition’.[19] He admits that this statement will not be accepted by certain people and is unlikely to be published in the paper.[20] Perhaps this is the reason Mannix choose to make this speech in Ballarat, seeing as The Evening Echo was considered the only anti- conscription paper in Victoria, it would be in their interest to publish an event such as this. Another Ballarat paper, The Ballarat Courier, also published the event. However, it was in a condensed format and omitted Mannix’ more controversial statements.[21] Mannix insists that ‘the press systematically and persistently misrepresents me and tries to make me misunderstood by the Australian people’, and that the papers ‘only publish what they think will damage my character and reputation’.[22]
The speech ends with Mannix reassuring the people that he will never change his opinions regardless of how the press represents him. Mannix is clearly an influential figure in the press as there is no shortage of papers mentioning his name at any point during the year 1918. Newspapers all across the country discuss the movements of Mannix, who appears to be one of very few people who challenges the government and the established system within the Empire. The Townsville Daily Bulletin[23] and The Northern Miner both based in Queensland discuss a speech made by Mannix about affairs in Ireland in 1919, in which he almost threatens an uprising in Australia, America and South Africa if Britain does not succumb to Irish demands.[24] The Daily Standard in Brisbane headlines the ‘Outspoken Archbishop’[25], The Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times in Tasmania announced the appointment of Mannix as the ‘Roman Catholic Chaplain- General of the military forces’[26]. The Methodist in Sydney brands Mannix as ‘Chief among these disturbers of the peace and sectarian firebrands’[27] and the Northern Star in Lismore discusses the Archbishops opposition to the League of Nations.[28] The Daily News in Perth declares Mannix as the ‘Champion of Democracy’[29], while the Gelong Advertiser a Melbourne newspaper records a raffle of the Archbishop’s flag.[30] Newspapers in Ireland were just as fascinated by Melbourne’s Catholic leader. The Freeman’s Journal,[31] Nenagh Guardian[32] and the Meath Chronicle all discuss the events of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in 1918 from the exhibition in Melbourne to the conscriptionist protest and Mannix’ response.[33] The Irish Independent reported Mannix’ first arrival to St. Mary’s church his first parish in Melbourne,[34] while the Kilkenny People discussed the possibility of the Archbishop being interned or deported[35], and the Evening Herald claimed that ‘if any Sinn Fein organisation existed in Melbourne he was not aware of it’.[36]
Archbishop Daniel Mannix was a hugely influential character from the moment of his appointment as Archbishop of Melbourne. The Irish Catholic community, a minority in Australian society, finally had a voice through this great political orator, who held great power as a religious leader in the city. Although, Mannix many not have been the ideal representative of Catholics of other nationalities, he was the ultimately the figure most interested in the values of the Irish community and served a link for the Irish community back to their home country.
Bibliography:
Primary Sources:
Australian Newspapers:
Daily Standard, 26 Jun 1917: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/180906197?searchTerm=Archbishop%20Mannix%20AND%20(Melbourne%3B%20OR%20Irish)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Melbourne%3B+Irish|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1900|||dateTo=1918)
Geelong Advertiser, 15 Mar 1919: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/165252402?searchTerm=Archbishop%20Mannix%20AND%20(Melbourne%3B%20OR%20Irish)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Melbourne%3B+Irish|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1900|||dateTo=1918|||l-state=Victoria)
Northern Star, 9 Sep 1919: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/93005827?searchTerm=Archbishop%20Mannix%20AND%20(Melbourne%3B%20OR%20Irish)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Melbourne%3B+Irish|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1900|||dateTo=1918)
The Daily News, 22 Feb 1919: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/81841843?searchTerm=Archbishop%20Mannix%20AND%20(Melbourne%3B%20OR%20Irish)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Melbourne%3B+Irish|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1900|||dateTo=1918)
The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241733974?searchTerm=st%20patricks%20day%20melbourne%20AND%20(Mannix)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Mannix|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1918-01-01|||dateTo=1918-12-31|||sortby)
Townsville Daily Bulletin, 14 Oct 1919: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/62657934?searchTerm=Archbishop%20Mannix%20AND%20(Melbourne%3B%20OR%20Irish)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Melbourne%3B+Irish|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1900|||dateTo=1918)
The Methodist, 28 Apr 1917: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155433852?searchTerm=Archbishop%20Mannix%20AND%20(Melbourne%3B%20OR%20Irish)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Melbourne%3B+Irish|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1900|||dateTo=1918)
The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times, 13 Jul 1917: (https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64547082?searchTerm=Archbishop%20Mannix%20AND%20(Melbourne%3B%20OR%20Irish)&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords=Melbourne%3B+Irish|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom=1900|||dateTo=1918)
Irish newspaper sources:
Evening Herald, 25 Mar 1918: (http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com.proxy.lib.ul.ie/Olive/APA/INA.Edu/Default.aspx#panel=document)
Freemans Journal, 8 Apr 1918: (http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com.proxy.lib.ul.ie/Olive/APA/INA.Edu/Default.aspx#panel=document)
Irish Independent, 12 May 1913: (http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com.proxy.lib.ul.ie/Olive/APA/INA.Edu/Default.aspx#panel=document)
Kilkenny People, 6 Apr 1918: (http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com.proxy.lib.ul.ie/Olive/APA/INA.Edu/Default.aspx#panel=document)
Meath Chronicle, 21 Sep 1918: (http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com.proxy.lib.ul.ie/Olive/APA/INA.Edu/Default.aspx#panel=document)
Nenagh Guardian, 1 Jun 1918: (http://archive.irishnewsarchive.com.proxy.lib.ul.ie/Olive/APA/INA.Edu/Default.aspx#panel=document)
Secondary Sources:
Archer, Robin, ‘Stopping War and Stopping Conscription: Australian Labour’s Response to World War I in Comparative Perspective’ in Labour History 1 (2014) pp. 43-67.
Beggs Sunter, Anne, ‘Ballarat 1914- 1918’ November 2016, Ballarat Library, (http://ballarat19141918.blogspot.ie/2016/11/ballarats-crusading-labour-paper.html) (4 April 2018).
Bridge, Carl, William Hughes: Australia (London, 2010).
Jupp, James, The Australian people: and encyclopedia of the nation, its people and their origin (Cambridge, 2001).
[1] James Jupp, The Australian people: and encyclopedia of the nation, its people and their origin (Cambridge, 2001), p. 469.
[2] Jupp, The Australian people, p. 469.
[3] Robin Archer, ‘Stopping War and Stopping Conscription: Australian Labour’s Response to World War I in Comparative Perspective’ in Labour History 1 (2014), pp 43-67.
[4] Carl Bridge, William Hughes: Australia (London, 2010).
[5] Bridges, William Hughes.
[6] Evening Echo, 23 Mar. 1918.
[7] Evening Echo, 23 Mar. 1918.
[8] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[9] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[10] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[11] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[12] Anne Beggs Sunter, ‘Ballarat 1914- 1918’ November 2016, Ballarat Library, (http://ballarat19141918.blogspot.ie/2016/11/ballarats-crusading-labour-paper.html) (4 April 2018).
[13] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[14] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[15] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[16] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[17] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[18] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[19] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[20] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[21] The Ballarat Courier, 23 Mar 1918.
[22] The Evening Echo, 23 Mar 1918.
[23] Townsville Daily Bulletin, 14 Oct 1919.
[24] The Northern Miner, 14 Oct 1919.
[25] Daily Standard, 26 Jun 1917.
[26] The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times, 13 Jul 1917.
[27] The Methodist, 28 Apr 1917.
[28] Northern Star, 9 Sep 1919.
[29] The Daily News, 22 Feb 1919.
[30] Geelong Advertiser, 15 March 1919.
[31] Freeman’s Journal, 8 Apr 1918.
[32] Nenagh Guardian, 1 June 1918.
[33] Meath Chronicle, 21 Sep 1918.
[34] Irish Independent, 12 May 1913.
[35] Kilkenny People, 6 Apr 1918.
[36] Evening Herald, 25 Mar 1918.
Irish Aussies: historical perspectives 