MIA > Archive > Connolly > Connolly/Walker Controversy
JAMES CONNOLLY (1868–1916), Born Edinburgh, Scotland of Irish parents – said to have first come to Ireland in his youth as a member of the British Army – married in 1889 – active in the socialist movement in Edinburgh in the early 1890’s – came to Ireland in 1896 and founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party – lectured on socialism in Britain and U.S., 1902 – emigrated to U.S. in 1903 – member of Socialist Labour Party (U.S.) and the Industrial Workers of the World – founded the Irish Socialist Federation in New York, 1907 – returned to Ireland in 1910 as organiser for the Socialist Party of Ireland – Belfast organiser of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union, 1910 – acting Gen. Sec. of I.T.G.W.U. and Commandant of the Irish Citizen Army, 1914 – Commandant General of Dublin Division of the Army of the Republic, 1916 – executed following the 1916 Uprising.
AUTHOR OF –
Erin’s Hope: The New Evangel
Socialism Made Easy
Labour, Nationality and Religion
Labour in Irish History
The Re-conquest of Ireland
EDITOR OF –
Rights of Ireland and the Faith of a Felon (LALOR)
’98 Readings
Workers’ Republic
The Harp (U.S.A.)
The Irish Worker
The Workers’ Republic
WILLIAM WALKER (1870–1918) Belfastman – began his trade union activity when an apprentice at Harland and Wolfe’s shipyard – was a delegate to the inaugural conference of the Irish Trade Union Congress, 1894 – one time President of I.T.U.C. – sec. of Belfast Trades Council –full time official of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, 1901 – elected to the Belfast Corporation, 1904 – unsuccessfully contested parliamentary elections as I.L.P. candidate in Belfast, 1905 – during election campaign declared support for the retention of the British sovereigns accession declaration against transubstantiation and for the exclusion of Roman Catholics from high State positions – said he would place the interests of Protestantism before those of the I.L.P.: “Protestantism means protesting against superstition, hence true Protestantism is synonymous with labour” – unsuccessfully contested the Scottish seat of Leith Burghs in 1910 – opposed Home Rule for Ireland – member of the executive of the British Labour Party – accepted government appointment as a representative of newly established National Insurance Commissioners in 1912 – died after a long illness in 1918.
AUTHOR OF –
The Irish Question (1908)
Last updated on 12.8.2003