Great Famine in Ireland and Ottoman Turks’ aid

March 18, 2010 at 10:59 am | Posted in Turkmens | 3 Comments
Tags: Great Famine in Ireland, Ottoman aid to the Irish, Treaty of Lausanne, Turkish-Irish friendship, Yahya Kemal Beyatli

Great  Famine and Ottoman Turks’ aid

Ireland was ridden with famine and disease between 1845 and 1849. Also known as the Great Hunger, this famine had lasting effects: at least one million people died due to famine-related diseases and more than one million Irish fled, mainly to the United States, England, Canada, and Australia.

In 1845, Ottoman Sultan “Abdulmecid Han” declared his intention to send 10,000 sterling to Irish farmers but Queen Victoria requested that the Sultan send only 1,000 sterling, because she had sent only 2,000 sterling. The Sultan sent the 1,000 sterling but also secretly sent 3 (some sources says 5) ships full of food. The English courts tried to block the ships. The food arrived by Ottoman sailors. Ships secretly discharged their load in Drogheda, a town approximately 70 miles north of Dublin.

        Here  you see below: Drogheda United Football  Club ( Founded 1975)  badge  (crescent and star)

                                                    

Gratitude to the Ottoman Turks

 

The Treaty of Lausanne, signed in 1923 between the allied powers and the Turks in the aftermath of World War I, still prevails on the Turkish agenda. While on the one hand, some celebrate this treaty, arguing that it marks Turkish independence from the invading powers, others are critical about it as so much was given away, like Cyprus, the Aegean islands, Mosul, etc.

Yahya Kemal Beyatli (d. 1958), a famous Turkish poet and a former ambassador, had an interesting memory from the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne, in which he participated as a reporter. He recounts that while all the plenipotentiaries of the allied powers (The British Empire, France, Italy, Japan, Greece, Romania, and the Serb- Croat-Slovene State) voted in unison in opposition to Turkey, the representative from Ireland was an exception; in each vote, he raised his hand in favour of Turkey’s interests. Beyatli noticed this unusual person, and could not help asking him the reason. “I am obliged to do it. Not only I, but are all Irish men and women,” said the Irish representative. “When we suffered from famine and disease, your Ottoman ancestors shipped loads of food and monetary donations. We have never forgotten the friendly hand extended to us in our difficult times. Your nation deserves to be supported on every occasion.”

This generous charity from Muslim Turks to a Christian nation was important; We hope that the Turkish-Irish friendship sets a model peace for today’s different nations.

Best Regards,

Ali S. Yilmaz / Chicago