Hello everyone
Hello everyone. August 26th is a very important day in Irish history. And in particular, Dublin's working class history, because this was the day in 1913 that the lockout commenced. That was where William Martin Murphy locked because they wanted to be part of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union. Led at that time by Jim Larkin. The events that led up to this were absolutely remarkable in Irish labor history.
William Martin Murphy was powerful, powerful part of the ruling classes in Dublin at that period across Ireland. Because not only was he an MP for the Irish Parliamentary Party. He was also the owner of Independent Newspapers, controlled so much of the media. And also the Dublin United Tramways Company, which provided so much needed transport right across the city. Also, the Imperial Hotel, which is now the Gresham Hotel in Dublin. So, he wielded an awful lot of power. And with that.
Power came access to policies of the state in terms of promoting the policies that favor people like Martin Murphy. And he was immortalized by James Connolly in the Workers' Republic, a publication that was printed not too far from here up on Leinster Road for a time in the backyard of Countess Markievicz's house up on Leinster Road. Where he was immortalized essentially as the vulture of Dartry Hall. He lived in a big mansion in Dartry, which wasn't too far away.
From here. So, that period was a very tragic period for some during 1913, which led to the loss of life of two striking workers, James Nolan, and also James Byrne. James Nolan's case was particularly tragic because he was set upon on Eden Quay by members of Dublin Metropolitan Police and was savagely beaten. He died a number of days later and his funeral was held in Glasnevin Cemetery. Over 10,000 people attended.
So, this impacted so many people in Dublin during
So, this impacted so many people in Dublin during that period. So many lived in tenements in slum-like dwellings, lived in abject poverty, starvation. There was many, many cases of many struggling. And solidarity came from those across the water with the British Trades Council, who offered over 93,000 pounds during that period. But, it wasn't forthcoming beyond that period, which lasted about seven or eight months, which precipitated the end of the lockout, which impacted so many workers right across.
Dublin city. And we remember today also people like James Plunkett, a fantastic Dublin writer, who lived for a time here just off Richmond Hill. Just this house here. The red brick house there. He lived for a time. He was born on Bath Avenue, which was in Sandymount, not too far away from here, either. And he was a fantastic writer, wrote so much about the working class struggle in Dublin and across Ireland.
And uh most renowned for Strumpet City. Which starred Peter O'Toole, David Kelly, and uh many other famous Irish actors as well. Which was commissioned back in 1980 and was uh shown on RTÉ during that time. They wouldn't show it now, would they? Uh they've moved a million miles away from that. So, uh remember James Plunkett today. Fantastic Irish writer who died in 2003. There's plaques on the wall here as well a couple of years ago and members of his.
Family showed up to this. And remember those who were killed during that period, Bloody Sunday, and uh subsequently as well. The tenements in uh Church Street collapsed a number of days later. It led to tragic deaths of seven. >> Tragic deaths. >> Uh people living on Church Street and uh absolute be tragic which led to other devastation again across Dublin City. And at time so many were slum landlords, so many were benefiting from the housing disaster.
And so many were benefiting from the misery of others who were struggling to get by from day to day. So, it's a very important part of Irish history. Very important not to forget about it but very important to use the lessons of it in the struggles going forward in terms of ordinary working class people. In terms of um struggle for nationalism. If that's going to be presented as a struggle for nationalism, that maintain the same interests.
Of the William Martin Murphys of this world
Of the William Martin Murphys of this world. Ordinary working people should have no hand act or part in it. Because they only represent the interests of the ruling classes, the media, big powerhouses in Irish society. And remember in 1916 led to the execution of James Connolly who was G Division that marked out so many of those leaders of the Easter Rising for execution. James Connolly as well who was a so badly injured in the GPO during 1916.
“James Connolly as well who was a so badly injured in the GPO during 1916”
And was um dragged out of his hospital bed in Dublin Castle and on to Kilmainham Jail at the orders of William Martin Murphy working in cahoots with the British establishment. So much for their struggle for home rule and uh Irish independence. So, here we are 130 years later to remember the struggle of all those who died and gave their lives for the struggle for Irish independence and most notably for Irish working class people. People like James Connolly who.
Stood up and uh used his voice so well during his years also as well and left his testament of work behind. So, I urge you if you get an opportunity to read Strumpet City if you haven't already. Um it's really eye-opening into that period of time during Irish history. And one of the most tragic parts of it is at the end of it where a number of the characters were setting sail from Dublin Bay off to be killed in the period of war.
For the British. Remember that at that time John Redmond who was the leader of the Irish parliamentary party split the Irish volunteers because he was pushing for so many of those to fight for Britain in that war. And uh which led to massive massive issues right across Ireland as well because he thought fight them there so they wouldn't have to fight them here which was absolutely ludicrous. But we see the same agenda playing out today, don't we?
When Micheál Martin's talking about the values and why we have to fight for our way of life which is leading to rampant poverty and inequality in our society which hasn't moved on quite a deal since 1930. Many small landlords still exist in the wild west of Dublin and around this area in Rathmines also. And this is what's taken place today. So it's very important to remember our history and commemorate those but also use it to move it forward in terms of.
Struggle where all the working people searched
Struggle where all the working people searched. All right. Hard one for for many of those in previous generations to struggle for. So thanks for joining me on the little walk through around this area in Richmond Hill tonight. And if you're passing by have a look at James Plunkett's home. He was here for a time as well cuz he wrote that book Strumpet City in '69. And um fantastic book.
So again, Dublin is Long Kesh take care.
