This film shows a full performance of 'Michael Davitt- Son of Ireland, Student of Lancashire, Father of Freedom', a storytelling/crankie theatre performance featuring live music that tells the life story of Michael Davitt. The piece was originally commissioned by Rossendale Borough Council as part of the Haslingden Big Lamp Project, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Trust. The film was captured on Friday 5th December 2025, which was the day the piece was first presented as part of the Haslingden Christmas light switch on.
Credits:
Written/Performed - Thomas Daniel Byrne
Fiddle and Whistle - Grace Kelly
Guitar - Jim Richardson
Crankie Illustrations - Alastair Price
Camera - Jan Koblanski
Audio - Joe Chesterman-March
Editor - Theo Kirpatrick
With thanks to Dan Rendle for additional audio assistance and to Aimee Williamson for everything she does, without her I have no doubt this film could not have been possible.
As this was our first, and only run whilst the cameras were rolling there are slight mistakes here and there which I hope you can forgive. The piece was very new to everyone involved and I think considering we only had one take we did pretty well! There is also a slight misspelling of the word 'Coercion' on the crankie scroll which has now been rectified.
Thank you for watching, I hope you find the piece interesting and that it serves as a useful resource for those interested in learning more about Michael Davitt and his important role in Ireland's history.
Michael Davitt's Story:
Born on the 25th March 1846 in Straide, County Mayo, Davitt started his life in incredibly difficult circumstances as the Great Famine raged and his family were evicted from their small home and plot of land after falling behind on their rent. Aged only 4 Michael and his family headed for England and upon their arrival in Liverpool ended up walking 50 miles to Haslingden in the Rossendale Valley, in search of a better life.
The family found their place in Haslingden, and settled into the blossoming Irish community that had taken root there. Aged 9 Michael followed the path of many young children at the time and started working in the surrounding mills. During his stint working at Stelfox Mill when he was 11 years old Michael was involved in an industrial accident which led to his right arm being amputated. Somehow, word of his accident reached John Dean, a prominent figure in the town, who paid for Michael to return to school for a further 4 years of education. This act of Lancashire kindness completely transformed the trajectory of Michael's life and helped him meet other influential, progressive, reform focused individuals in Haslingden who helped teach the young Davitt, offered him employment, and introduced him to radical new ideas via the Mechanic's Institute on Deardengate.
Davitt became a Nationalist who strived for Ireland to be free from British rule. During his late teens and early 20's he joined the Fenian Brotherhood and, posing as a commercial traveller, bought guns with the intention of shipping them to Ireland to be used in future uprisings. Eventually he was arrested, and ended up serving 7 years in Dartmoor prison, enduring horrendous conditions whilst being forced undertake hard labour.
Upon his release Davitt returned to Ireland and began to change his approach to achieving a free Ireland. He began collaborating with constitutionalists such as Charles Stewart Parnell. Together they decided to create a new organisation to challenge and disrupt landlordism in Ireland called 'The Land League'. Through non violent means they were able to achieve substantial land reform in Ireland by 1882 which went on to allow Irish tenant farmers to start owning their own land, breaking the vice grip that largely absentee British landlords had held over their tenants for so many years.
After the end of the Land War, Davitt began to drift away from Parnell. Davitt's ideas, such as land nationalisation, and advocating for Indian independence proved too radical for his contemporaries. Davitt went on to be a correspondent for newspapers and publications, reporting on prison reform, war, and atrocities committed against the Jewish people in Russia. He also wrote 6 books and served as an MP during the 1880's before resigning over Britain's involvement in the Boer War. Throughout his life he largely focused on standing up for those in the minority. He spoke out against injustices, was an early advocate for women's rights, and advocated for improvements that would make the lives of the working classes better. Davitt did so much for others, and tried to give a voice to those who voiceless. His life was cut surprisingly short after he contracted septicaemia from bad dental work. He died at the age of 60, and is buried close to where his original home had been in Straide, County Mayo.