Every Clime, Class and Colour

Sean Mac Bride

Sean Mac Bride had a distinctly unusual life. Born in Paris in 1904 to Irish parents, he moved to Ireland after his father’s execution there in the aftermath of the 1916 Easter Rising. The rebellion was launched against British rule in Ireland and marked the beginning of the Irish Revolution. Unsurprisingly, he quickly became engaged in nationalist politics when arriving in Ireland which culminated in him joining the Irish Republican Army. At the time, the IRA was engaged in a guerrilla war which would last over two years (1919-1921). It was quickly followed by a civil war (1922-1923) which saw Mac Bride join the losing side and spending much of the conflict imprisoned by the Irish government. He continued opposing the Irish state after escaping from prison and became a close friend of Eamonn De Velera who would go on to be Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and President of Ireland. All of this occurred when Mac Bride was still in his teens.

He remained active in the IRA for years after, briefly becoming Chief of Staff of the IRA in 1936 while also earning a law degree. During these years he was again arrested and imprisoned for murder but was acquitted. He eventually put the gun aside, resigning from the IRA and beginning a political career as leader of a political Party named Clann na Poblachata or Family of the Republic in 1946(Keane, 2009). The party had brief but limited success becoming part of a governing coalition after WW2. While an elected politician he continued to be sympathetic to the IRA as a campaigner for the rights of political prisoners in Ireland. He eventually lost his seat in the 1957 elections and his party dissolved soon after. He did not resign from politics, however. His legal and political career throughout his life extended far beyond Ireland. Starting from the 1940s he began a career as a Human rights campaigner and peace activist internationally. This part of his career is what this essay will focus on as it highlights many trends that occurred across Europe and the globe following the aftershocks of WW2. He was involved in everything from decolonisation, European integration and Cold War politics often having paradoxical political views.

Through his appointment as minister for external affairs in 1948 he was appointment as vice president of the OEEC or the Organisation of European Economic Cooperation. This organisation was created to help run the Marshall plan which rebuilt Europe after the war with American aid. He was also a signatory in many major international accords most notable the European Convention on Human Rights and the Geneva convention for the Protection of war victims (History Ireland, 2006). The integration of Europe into one economic block had begun and Mac bride was at the centre of it. This would eventually lead to the development of the EEC and European Union in which he was a strong supporter of. During this time his also paradoxically was key in preventing Irish membership of NATO. This was because in many Irish citizens view Northern Ireland was still illegally occupied by Britain. To this day Ireland is part of only a handful of western European nations not to be a member. While only holding his ministerial role for three years mac Bride managed to create a name for himself which he would use to launch a career in the United Nations and in the field of human rights.

His U.N career would begin after his stint as Minister from external affairs and would last till his death in the 1980s. Most of his work focused on newly emerging states in Africa where he was held in high esteem by activist there, especially in South Africa. This is because Mac Bride’s father raised an Irish brigade of volunteers 300 strong and fought in the Boer War against British rule in the region at the turn of the century (History Ireland, 2000). This gave him a unique in with the apartheid government. A staunch opponent of apartheid he led efforts to have it abolished, including supporting an Irish boycott of South African goods in the 1980s. This was a significant protest movement in Ireland during the time which saw a significant surging of support for equality in South Africa. This in turn gained him respect in the eyes of the ANC who stated after his death in 1988 “our debt to him can never be repaid” (History Ireland, 2006).

His work in Africa also brought him to Nigeria where in 1960 he helped write Nigeria’s first constitution. The country was the first African British colony to be granted independence which one can imagine felt quite good for Mac Bride. He went on to also help in the creation of Ghana’s, Zambia’s, and Tanzania’s first constitution. One this was accomplished he stayed as an advisor for the head of states of these countries. Together with African leaders he also created the Organisation for African Unity, now known as the African Union. He also played an extensive role in Namibia’s history. In 1973 he was made United Nations Commissioner for Namibia with rank of Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations which he held until 1977 (Abraham, 1997). Namibia was then occupied by South Africa which was under pressure by the UN to withdraw and allow free elections for the country. His status with the South African government allowed him to make headway for eventual Namibian independence, which unfortunately he would not see before his death.

Mac Bride also worked outside government institutions to further human rights protection. In 1961 he co-founded Amnesty International which to this day is not tied to any one state but rather has maintained its independence. He remained in Amnesty until 1975 and his work with the organization was one of the main reasons, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974. He was the first Irishman to receive such an award. Three years later he was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union who had a positive view of Mac bride due to his criticisms of the United States during the Cold War. However, in his native Ireland Sean Mac Bride is not well remembered or commemorated. Perhaps he is eclipsed by his father’s legacy as a martyr for Irish Republicanism. Or perhaps the lack of awareness surrounding Sean’s international career reflects Irelands unique ability (in 20^th century Europe) to constantly look inward. Perhaps our neutrality during WW2 has led to a lack of knowledge of European integration and the development of the United Nations. Certainly, our lack of colonies has made de colonisation in Africa rather obscure, at least outside Irish Republican circles. Regardless of who remembers, it can be said that Sean Mac Bride was a major figure in post war Europe politics for over thirty years. His career encompassed most of the major political developments which occurred in his lifetime. His politics was international, he saw beyond his own borders and attempted to help create a more equitable world out of the ashes of the World War.

Bibliography

History Ireland (2006, July). Sean Mac Bride and Namibia. History Ireland, https://www.historyireland.com/sean-macbride-and-namibia/. 

History Ireland (2000, Spring). MacBride’s Brigade in the Anglo-Boer War, History Ireland https://www.historyireland.com/macbrides-brigade-in-the-anglo-boer-war/.

Irwin Abrams. (1997). Nobel Lectures, Peace 1971-1980 (1^st Edition) Frängsmyr.

Keane, Ronan. (2009, October). Mac Bride, Sean. DIB. https://www.dib.ie/biography/macbride-sean-a5109.