Aoife Gillivan
John O’Shea, CEO and founder of the international humanitarian organisation GOAL, took to the altar at the Holy Trinity Church last Saturday evening to deliver a lecture on modern day famine, as part of National Famine Commemoration week.
The speaker was introduced by, former editor of The Mayo News, Mr Sean Staunton, who christened the guest speaker ‘the lion that roars on behalf of the hungry’.
GOAL has spent more than €600 million on humanitarian programmes in over 50 countries. Mr O’Shea racks up an impressive amount of awards for his humanitarian work, which include People of the Year awards in 1987 and 1992 and a Late Late Show Tribute in 1995 to name but a few. Once a resident of Westport, Mr O’Shea returned to the west and brought with him a few home truths.
His experiences on ground zero of modern famine have ranged in their traumatic numbers.
“Images in my mind I can never get out are from Ethiopia. Once, we were driving in an open-air 4 x 4 jeep and women would grab their babies, run to the roadside and just throw them at us. They were convinced that their babies would have a better chance this way.”
He shared the heartbreak of not being able to save everyone, “There is only one thing worse than watching a human being die of starvation. Watching your child die of starvation.”
O’Shea is never one to mince his words and the tone of his voice rose when he moved on to the topic of world politics.
“The real reason famine happens is the corruption of Third World governments and the disinterest of western governments. The Chinese government are meeting thugs in Africa and buying their land. The poor civilians will grow the food only for it to be put on lorries and sent to feed China. Exactly what happened outside these doors in our own Great Famine.”
O’ Shea’s eyewitness experience has inspired many ideas on combating famine.
“Starvation is not incurable, it is a matter of logistics.”
On the cliché that education is the answer to famine, ‘give a man a fish and feed him for a day, give him a rod and feed him for life’ O’Shea responded, “I hate that stupid saying, it should never be used. Intelligent people would give the fish not the fishing rod- give the man the rod and he’ll go down to the lake and get his head blown off.”
He rejects the idea that Non- Governmental Organisations are the solution. “There is no point in repeatedly sending a canoe out to the sinking Titanic, that can only fit nine people and has holes in it.”
He suggests establishing a neutral army to prevent genocide, country adoption and most notably a visionary leader to stand up in a position of power.
“The Irish government are the ones that can go to the UN or the EU and make the case for the most vulnerable, for the fact that we ourselves suffered such a famine gives us legitimacy.”
O’Shea considers Haiti a success story, as the actions of the International Community prove effective and inspirational, alongside Haitian people showing tremendous resilience.
Nowadays John travels less but relishes sharing his experiences and does so in a passionate and fiery manner. Having seen so much of the Third World, it is Calcutta that has left the fondest impression.
Speaking to The Mayo News after his robust address John confided, “I told my wife that when I die I want my body to be buried in South Kerry and my heart to be buried in Calcutta.” However, there will be many places in the world that the presence of John’s heart will remain.
