Discussions about renaming John Mitchels GAA in Tralee are “not sitting well” with locals, a Kerry councillor has said.  

There have been calls to rename John Mitchels GAA clubs across the country due to his historic support for chattel slavery.  

Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole called on all clubs named after John Mitchels to consider renaming, suggesting that the links to slavery “bind Irish local and national identities to notions of racial superiority”. 

He said Trinity College Dublin’s decision to rename the Berkeley Library can start a conversation about other renamings.  

However, Tralee councillor Sam Locke told Newstalk Breakfast local supporters of John Mitchels GAA have “no appetite” to rename the club. 

Catchment areas

“Their families have played for years,” he said. “There isn’t that appetite there because the association with John Mitchels goes back that far.” 

Cllr Locke explained renaming the GAA club would have implications for the rest of the catchment area.  

“We're talking about a vast area and a vast population that would be considered in the catchment area – you have Mitchels Court, Mitchels Avenue,” he said.  

“All those catchment areas would have to step back and think how they would rename their little town land and estates, and it’s not sitting well.” 

Condemning slave owners 

According to Mr O’Toole, John Mitchels used his rhetorical skills as an Irish nationalist to endorse slavery and encourage the use of torture against slaves.  

Cllr Locke said people are “rightly” condemning Mitchels for his association with slavery – but renaming John Mitchels GAA won’t have a significant impact now.  

"We should have learned a lesson a long, long time ago in regard to this,” he said. 

“It’s pointless rewriting history now.” 

Cllr Locke said we should continue “learning from history” about the Irish people associated with slavery such as Mitchels and Berkeley.  

Placenames in Ireland 

Cllr Locke also suggested this could start a huge spiral effect people may not want. 

“[There are] established communities all over the country, that if they dig deep enough into the names the areas are named after, we probably wouldn’t have a monument inside the state.” 

There are also John Mitchels GAA clubs in Waterford, Belfast, Derry and Monaghan.  

Some have also called for areas in Dublin such as Grafton Street and Gardiner Court to be renamed to better reflect Irish history.