Tag: Irish Transport and General Workers Union

#OTD in 1947 – Death of trade union leader and socialist activist, James Larkin.

30/01/2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

Union Leader, James Larkin dies quietly (unlike his life) in Dublin. In a beautiful tribute, Playwright Sean O’Casey said of Big Jim, ‘He fought for the loaf of bread as no man before him had ever fought; but with the loaf of bread, he also brought the flask of wine and the book of verse.’ […]

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#OTD in 1881 – Birth of trade unionist and Labour politician, William O’Brien, near Clonakilty, Co Cork.

23/01/2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

O’Brien moved with his family to Dublin in 1897, and quickly became involved in the Irish Socialist Republican Party (ISRP). O’Brien is described as a very significant figure in the ISRP.   A close friend and associate of James Connolly, O’Brien helped establish the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union in 1909, and was instrumental […]

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#OTD in 1913 – Also known as “The Great Dublin Lockout”, the Dublin Transport Strike, led by Jim Larkin and James Connolly, begins.

26/08/2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

The Great Dublin Lockout starts and one of the most bitter and divisive labour disputes in Irish history will run until February 1914 when starving workers are forced back to work. Five years previously, in 1908, at a time when Irish labourers were working in atrocious conditions, Union organiser Big Jim Larkin founded the Irish […]

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#OTD in 1911 – 3,000 women at Jacob’s factory led by young Rosie Hackett, withdrew their labour in pursuit of a pay claim.

21/08/2022.Reading time 5 minutes.

Rosie Hackett helped to galvanise and organise more than 3,000 women working in the factory. They withdrew their labour and the women were successful. They received better working conditions and an increase in pay. Rosie was just 18 years old at the time. When the Irish Transport and General Workers Union was founded in 1909, […]

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#OTD in 1892 – Birth of insurgent and trade union leader, Rosie Hackett, in Dublin.

25/07/2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

Rosie Hackett was a trade unionist, a founder-member of the Irish Women Workers’ Union, and supported strikers during the 1913 Dublin Lockout. She later became a member of the Irish Citizen Army and was involved in the 1916 Easter Rising. Rosie, christened ‘Rosanna’ was born in Dublin on 25 July 1892. At the time of […]

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#OTD in 1976 – Death of insurgent and trade union leader, Rosie Hackett.

04/07/2022.Reading time 7 minutes.

Rosie Hackett was a trade unionist, a founder-member of the Irish Women Workers’ Union, and supported strikers during the 1913 Dublin Lockout. She later became a member of the Irish Citizen Army and was involved in the 1916 Easter Rising. Rosie, christened ‘Rosanna’ was born in Dublin on 25 July 1892. At the time of […]

Read More

#OTD in 1947 – Death of trade union leader and socialist activist, James Larkin.

30/01/2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

Union Leader, James Larkin dies quietly (unlike his life) in Dublin. In a beautiful tribute, Playwright Sean O’Casey said of Big Jim, ‘He fought for the loaf of bread as no man before him had ever fought; but with the loaf of bread, he also brought the flask of wine and the book of verse.’ […]

Read More

#OTD in 1881 – Birth of trade unionist and Labour politician, William O’Brien, near Clonakilty, Co Cork.

23/01/2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

O’Brien moved with his family to Dublin in 1897, and quickly became involved in the Irish Socialist Republican Party (ISRP). O’Brien is described as a very significant figure in the ISRP.   A close friend and associate of James Connolly, O’Brien helped establish the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union in 1909, and was instrumental […]

Read More

#OTD in 1913 – Also known as “The Great Dublin Lockout”, the Dublin Transport Strike, led by Jim Larkin and James Connolly, begins.

26/08/2021.Reading time 3 minutes.

The Great Dublin Lockout starts and one of the most bitter and divisive labour disputes in Irish history will run until February 1914 when starving workers are forced back to work. Five years previously, in 1908, at a time when Irish labourers were working in atrocious conditions, Union organiser Big Jim Larkin founded the Irish […]

Read More

#OTD in 1911 – 3,000 women at Jacob’s factory led by young Rosie Hackett, withdrew their labour in pursuit of a pay claim.

21/08/2021.Reading time 5 minutes.

Rosie Hackett helped to galvanise and organise more than 3,000 women working in the factory. They withdrew their labour and the women were successful. They received better working conditions and an increase in pay. Rosie was just 18 years old at the time. When the Irish Transport and General Workers Union was founded in 1909, […]

Read More