The huge contribution that Muintir na Tíre founder Canon John Hayes made to Irish life was acknowledged this week by the National President of the organisation Martin Quinn. Speaking at the organisations AGM he claimed, “one thing that I certainly take from this great man was that he knew exactly what our greatest resource was it's in our name and that is, ‘the people of the land’.”
He added, “Canon Hayes believed that people working together unified for the common good could achieve anything. He will always be remembered for his initiative in founding an organisation that taught the people of Ireland not just how to live more effectively in their own parish, but more especially how to care for their neighbours and to share their common lot and heritage.”
One of the major facets of Muintir na Tíre is the Community Alert organisation, which has 1,300 branches nationally and celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.
Mr Quinn claimed that the principles that Canon Hayes ingrained in rural communities was very evident during the adverse weather conditions earlier this year when the magnificent work of Community Alert in helping people was highlighted.
Mr Quinn, who is a native of the South Tipperary parish of Bansha where Canon Hayes served as a Parish Priest from 1946 until his death in 1957, also claimed that Community Alert would be marking its 25th anniversary with a special conference at the Garda College in Templemore this October.
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