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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 7 Dec 1932

Vol. 45 No. 7

In Committee on Finance. - Bourn Vincent Memorial Park Bill, 1932—Second Stage.

This Bill relates to a matter that is, I think, unique in the history of this State but not in the history of the country.

Muckross Estate, now about to become the property of the people, comprises some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. It contains within its confines most of the scenery celebrated as Killarney. The present owners acquired the estate for the sum of £50,000 some 22 years ago, and, since then, a further sum of £110,000 has been spent on maintenance and improvements. The property has been managed and run with a view to increasing its attractiveness. The grounds around the house have been cleared. Beautiful lawns and gardens have been laid down. Reafforestation has gone on on a big scale. The woods have been opened up with paths and clearings. The estate is now at such a pitch of perfection that the only anxiety the Government need have is lest it may not be possible for the State to maintain it in its present condition. Now, through the munificence of the owners, this property comes to the State in trust for the public. Visitors will henceforth have access to all parts of the estate—to tracts of mountain, wood and forest hitherto known only to a few. The gift will multiply the attractions of Killarney to visitors and it should provide a stimulus to the tourist traffic in the Free State generally.

I take this opportunity of expressing the gratitude of the Dáil and the people to Senator Vincent and Mr. and Mrs. Bowers Bourn for their great generosity and for the fine example of public spirit which they have set.

This is a very remarkable gift, a very generous gift and a very princely gift. It reflects very great credit on the Oireachtas that it has an honoured member who is making this remarkable dispensation. It is a generous and a noble act of citizenship and I am sure that practically everybody in the State will realise the princely character of the gift. May I say that there have been gifts not as great but, nevertheless, very great given to the State by another family. The Milltown family offered and gave to the State their silver and pictures and subsequently offered the whole estate. The whole estate was not accepted but the State is in possession of the silver and pictures. Unfortunately, we did not find ourselves in a position to accept the estate. I have got two suggestions to make in connection with this gift. One is that the word "Senator" should precede the words "Arthur Rose Vincent." The other suggestion is that it would be a graceful act to invite the Senator to occupy the premises there during his life or at his pleasure. He has been associated with the place for twenty-two years. His wife was very much attached to it. His other family connections, Mr. and Mrs. Bourn, might care, on occasions, to visit the place. They were particularly generous to visitors who came to Killarney. So far as I know, practically everybody was at liberty to go through the estate. This is a remarkable evidence of citizenship on the part of a princely family.

This gift is being made to our State by a member of what used to be called "the ascendancy class" in this country. I rise because Senator Vincent asked me to say that he would wish the gift to be regarded as symbolic of the desire of himself and his class for appeasement in this country and for good feeling between all the classes that compose our State and as symbolic of the desire of every section of our community to be regarded as welded solidly into one homogeneous whole and to be associated with the most ardent aspirations for the prosperity and glory of the Irish people in the future.

Question put and agreed to.
Bill read a Second Time.
Barr
Roinn