Catholic Emancipation (Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829) - centenary commemorative badge (1929)
This badge was issued by the Catholic Emancipation Centenary Committee in 1929 as the official badge of the centenary celebrations. The badge celebrates the centenary of the 1829 Roman Catholic Relief Act and shows the Dublin Freedom Bell along with Gaelic text SAOIRSE CREIDIM, which translates as 'Freedom to Believe'. The official badge came with either a pin fitting for ladies or with a buttonhole stud fitting for the gents (the buttonhole badge is much rarer). There is a bar at the top to hold a ribbon, if the wearer so wished to affix the badge with a ribbon and safety pin instead.

The image of the Dublin Freedom Bell was adopted and copyrighted for use by the Centenary Committee. The bell was to symbolise Catholic Emancipation and freedom from the Penal Laws that had restricted Catholics in all spheres of life and from practising their religion openly. It was mainly through the leadership of Daniel O'Connell that the 1829 Roman Catholic Relief Act was steered through Parliament and enacted into law over all the British Isles, representing the culmination of the Catholic Emancipation process.

The Freedom Bell, which bears an uncanny likeness to the US Liberty Bell in Boston, originally came from the former RC Church of SS Michael & John of Lower Exchange Street by Wood Quay and now occupied by the new Smock Alley Theatre. The story goes that in 1811 this was the first Catholic church bell to be rung out in Ireland for over 300 years in defiance of the Penal Laws and again the first to be rung after the passing of the Catholic Relief Act in 1829. Fr. Michael Blake who established the church there in 1811 was indicted along with the Catholic Church for that act of defiance and it was Daniel O'Connell who successfully defended him in court. The legend goes that it was Daniel O'Connell who struck the bell with a "mighty blow" after the passing of the Catholic Relief Act in 1829 causing it to crack.

This official badge could be obtained from Roman Catholic churches for a minimum "subscription" of 6d (6 pence), up to a shilling (12 pence). There was also an official children's centenary badge that could be "purchased" for 3d each from their teacher in schools. Interestingly, the children's badge has been described as being made of aluminium and having an image of St. Patrick on its reverse side (Nenagh Guardian 18th May 1929 p2 & Donegal News 11th May 1929 p4). I've never seen one of these 1929 centenary children's badges and If anyone has an image of one, I'd be grateful to see. Sale of the official badges were an important source of revenue to defray the costs of staging the 1929 centenary celebrations, which were very substantial.

There were also many complaints from the Centenary Committee about "unofficial badges" being sold, as well as being of inferior quality. Many of these showing images of Daniel O'Connell and other symbolism associated with him, some even brazenly copied the Freedom Bell image too. The Committee tried to counteract this by placing adverts with an image of the official badge in all the national and provincial newspapers. It was also stipulated that entry to the Pontifical High Mass at the Phoenix Park and other official events on the day (23rd June 1929) would be allowed only to those wearing the official badge. Incidentally, there were similar complaints about unofficial badges in the lead up to the Dublin Eucharistic Congress celebrations of 1932.

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Catholic Emancipation was an on-going political process to achieve a relaxation and dismantling of the Penal Laws enacted against Catholics and non-Conformists, culminating in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 which applied equally throughout Britain as well as Ireland. Amongst the Penal Laws legislation that aggrieved the majority of the population in Ireland were the Disenfranchisement Act 1728 (prohibition of Catholics to vote) and the bar against Catholics entering into public service employment or taking their seat in the Houses of Parliament (Test Acts 1673). There was also other legislation restricting Catholic’s ability to practise their faith.

The main personality behind Catholic Emancipation was Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847) who founded the Catholic Association in 1823 for the purpose of repealing all discrimination against Catholic, the Penal Laws and the Act of Union of 1800. Over the years, anti-Catholic bias in Britain and in Parliament had lessened and O’Connell also had some powerful supporters for his aims such as the Duke of Wellington, William Pitt the Younger and Sir Robert Peel, not overlooking the persuasive powers of Daniel O’Connell himself. The Catholic Association was also instrumental in O’Connell’s success by ensuring mass support for his aims and providing financial source to carry on his work

Rare to find with pin attached