Another look at the 23 April 1918 general strike against conscription. By Padraig Yeates As the Voice of Labour, the organ of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union, put it at the time, ‘In numbers, in spirit, in determination, in resolve, in decision, Labour in Ireland has done nothing in its history to equal … Read more
‘The head of a landlord in one hand and the tail of a cow in the other—these are the arguments to use when you argue with an Englishman.’ By Phelim Brady Given Michael Collins’s reputation as the ‘Irish Pimpernel’, it might surprise some to learn that he was once arrested in broad daylight in the … Read more
There is much in these files for researchers and academics to grapple with for some time to come, proving that the MSPC is an essential source for any serious student of the Irish Revolution. By Michael Keane The latest release from the Military Service (1916–1923) Pensions Collection (MSPC) has made files relating to 73 of … Read more
The National Volunteer movementwas the largest paramilitary force in Ireland in the autumn of 1914, numbering an estimated 158,360 men.What happened to it? By Shane Brown In 1972 Robert Kee emphasised that ‘for a time, even at home, the Redmond National Volunteers remained strong and active… putting the activities of the small body of obscure … Read more
‘A blow delivered against the British imperialist bourgeoisie in Ireland is a hundred times more significant than a blow of equal weight in Africa or Asia’ (Lenin on the 1916 Easter Rising). By Jérôme aan de Wiel In April 1917 the Germans sent Lenin aboard a sealed train from Switzerland to Russia with the aim … Read more