Let us rise: New book on the 1913 Dublin lockout

A new book commemorating the centenary of the Dublin lock-out of 1913 – the titanic struggle by the working class of the city against the employers – has just been produced by the Socialist Party Ireland. The book includes essays on role of women, the solidarity effort in Britain, the revolutionary aftershock and a response by Joe Higgins TD (MP) to Jack O’Connor’s (the leader of the Irish TUC) Larkin graveside speech.

Commenting on the launch of Let us Rise! which is available from all good bookshops in Ireland and also from Socialist Party Scotland Joe Higgins TD said:

“This book commemorates the immortal 1913 Dublin Lockout. This struggle, with brilliant leaders like Jim Larkin and James Connolly, heralded the emergence of the working class as the key social and political force. It ushered in a decade of struggle which could have changed the course of Irish history.

“This period is rich in lessons for working class people today. The struggle waged in 1913 is a beacon that can shine a bright light on the way forward, if its lessons are fully absorbed.”

Contributor and co-editor of the collection of essays Cillian Gillespie added:

“Rather than a simple retelling of the story of the Lockout this book has been produced by the Socialist Party with a number of particular focuses in mind including the role of women in the strike, the solidarity effort in Britain and the period after the Lockout which say a rapid recovery of the workers movement and a revolutionary tide across the country which receives scant acknowledgement by official Ireland.

“Finally there is the question of how the events of 1913 are interpreted today by the workers movement. We include a piece by Joe Higgins TD in response to Jack O’Connor’s speech at Jim Larkin’s graveside earlier this year where, without a hint of shame, he claimed that Larkin would have supported the current strategy of trade union leaders like himself today whose stewardship of the movement since the crisis began has been marked by one surrender after another, the complete antithesis of Larkinism.”

You can order a copy of the book from Socialist Party Scotland by emailing info@socialistpartyscotland.org.uk