Commentary
Desmond Fennell, ‘Irish Socialist Thought,’ in The
Irish Mind, ed. Richard Kearney (1985): ‘Vandeleur had heard Owen lecture
in Dublin in 1823, and was converted to his ideas. After visits to Owen
in England and correspondence with him, he decided to establish a cooperative
village on his untenanted 600-acre estate at Ralahine, near Bunratty..
built comfortable stone cottages, dormitories for single men and women,
a store, a school, a large ding-room, and a meeting room. In 1831 he persuaded
Edward Thomas Craig, ed. of Lancashire Coperator, to be manager [and formed
with tenants] the Ralahine Agricutlural and Manufacturing Cooperative
Association [...] The community prospered till Vandeleur lost all he owned
at gambling and lest suddenly for America. The Vandeleur family resumed
direct possession of Ralahine and evicted the community without compensition’
(p.193).
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