Pamphlet referring to the Dublin Strike, 1913 (Dublin City Library)
The Dublin Strike by 'A.E' (George W. Russell), A Plea for the workers: a speech delivered in the Royal Albert Hall, London, November 1, 1913, to an audience of 12,000 persons, published by the 'Irish Worker' Press, Liberty Hall, Dublin, 1913
© Dublin City Public Libraries© Dublin City Public Libraries
Pamphlet referring to the Dublin Strike, 1913 (Dublin City Library)
The Dublin Strike by 'A.E' (George W. Russell), A Plea for the workers: a speech delivered in the Royal Albert Hall, London, November 1, 1913, to an audience of 12,000 persons, published by the 'Irish Worker' Press, Liberty Hall, Dublin, 1913
© Dublin City Public LibrariesPamphlet referring to the Dublin Strike, 1913 (Dublin City Library)
At the turn of the century Dublin was a difficult place to live with a very unequal society. Workers were exploited and forced to work for long hours for little pay, poverty was rife. Living conditions in over crowded tenements were appalling, food scarce and disease widespread. The origins of the labour movement began at this time with James Larkin founding the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in 1908. In a short period of time Larkin had thousands of workers enrolled. Larkin and his followers worried the large business owner, such as William Martin Murphy, who formed their own federation. Soon the federation required that their workers leave the ITGWU. When they and other sympathetic unions refused, the employers closed their businesses. Approximately 100,000 workers were 'locked out' for 8 months in 1913, causing great hardship amongst the poor of Dublin.