Archive for the ‘FÓRSA trade union’ Category
“We Only Want the Earth” – Important Trade Union backed James Connolly Documentary on RTÉ 1 TV, Wednesday August 26 2026 – Why did this revolutionary marxist sign the Famous Easter 1916 Proclamation, helping to lead “A social revolution by force of arms”?
A James Connolly Documentary will be broadcast on the Irish State’s main TV broadcast station, Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ 1) on
Wednesday August 26 2026, RTÉ 1, 21.30
Yellow Asylum Films Announcement :
WE ONLY WANT THE EARTH
The Life & Ideas of James Connolly
We are delighted to announce the upcoming screening on RTÉ of the feature documentary on James
Connolly, created to inspire and enlighten a contemporary audience about Connolly, his life and his
ideas. It will screen on RTÉ 1 on Wednesday August 26th at 21.30.
An iconic presence on the landscape of Irish socialism and republicanism, the name of James Connolly looms
large in the trade union movement and wherever radical left-wing politics are espoused. The film tries to place
Connolly’s radical ideas and many political achievements against the landscape of the contemporary world as
well as documenting his more prominent role in the 1916 Easter Rising.
As well as many distinguished commentators, union activists and historians, the film also features many songs
and poems – spoken and sung by contemporary artists such as Christy Moore, Stephen Rea, piper David
Power, singers Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Esosa Ighodaro as well as Connolly’s great great grand-daughter
Tamsin Iona Connolly Heron. Acclaimed actor Terry O’Neill performs the words of Connolly.
The film aims to reclaim Connolly’s story as well as invoking his important social vision – with a clear eye on
how it resonates in our contemporary time – an era when even democracy itself appears under threat.
The film was independently produced and financed with the support of the Irish Trade Union
movement.
Director & Writer: Alan Gilsenan
Producer & Archive Researcher: Martin Mahon
Executive Producers: Des Geraghty & Noírín Greene
A Yellow Asylum Films Production for the James Connolly Foundation for Educational Equality
The documentary is recommended to all readers interested in the life and times of James Connolly, a revolutionary marxist activist who became a leader of the growing Irish trade union movement in the early 20th century, and who promoted a distinct socialist and anti-imperialist vision. Connolly was one of the seven signatories of the Easter 1916 Rising in Dublin’s General Post Office (GPO). The British state executed this hero of the Irish working class on May 12 1916.
Ever since, James Connolly has captured a place in the Irish public imagination more than any other figure in the workers’ and socialist movement. No Irish socialist is really taken seriously unless s/he claims to be following in his tradition.
This was the position in 1972, as desbribed in the pages of a weekly political publication, Hibernia :
No fewer than 23…..communist, socialist and left-wing groups exist in Ireland, according to a list appearing in the 23 June 1972 issue of Hibernia. These organisations represent various trends in national and international politics but all, without exception, laid claim to James Connolly as their model and inspiration.
This position is essentially unchanged in 2026.
Yet at the time of his execution Connolly was isolated in the leadership of the Irish workers’ movement and internationally. He is reported as saying in his death-cell “The socialists will not understand why I am here. They forget I am an Irishman”.
Louise Bryant – A contemporary revolutionary socialist and feminist who understood why James Connolly was in Dublin’s GPO at Easter 1916
There were significant exceptions. We begin with a contemporary assessment written by Louise Bryant :
Read the rest of this entry »Irish Trade Union Movement and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) “Unequivocal Supporters of Ukraine since the brutal Russian invasion in February 2022” – Gregor Kerr Speech to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Global Solidarity Summer School; August 20 2026 at White’s Hotel Wexford
I Was delighted to have the opportunity to speak at Irish Congress of Trade Unions Global Solidarity Summer School on behalf of Irish Left With Ukraine, alongside Chris Ford of Ukraine Solidarity Campaign and Kateryna Maliuta-Osaulova of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine, on the topic of why Irish trade unionists should show solidarity with our Ukrainian colleagues and how we can do so.- Gregor Kerr
Gregor’s speech is below.
Solidarity doesn’t stop at home.
A strong INTO delegation has been at ICTU’s Global solidarity conference this week. Our delegation discussed Ukraine, Cuba, post-election Colombia and its earthquake recovery as well as ways to support and campaign for Palestine. – INTO
Gregor Kerr’s Speech :
I’d like to start by thanking David Joyce and the Global Solidarity Committee and conference organisers for including this session on the Summer School schedule. In this session, I’m going to invite you to put yourself in the shoes of Ukrainian workers and trade unionists – people who in the last months of 2021 and the early months of 2022 were grappling with exactly the same sort of struggles we face on a day to day basis – struggles with individual employers about wage rates and terms and conditions, struggles with the broader neo-liberal government agenda on issues of access to public health, housing, education etc etc.?
But, suddenly, their lives were turned upside down by a brutal invasion of their country. They found themselves facing the sort of horrors we really can’t envisage and they found themselves grappling with how to respond.
How do any of us know how we would respond in such a situation? Our pre-ordained political theory might suddenly not fit the reality of the brutality of what is happening.
So the challenge for each of us as Irish trade unionists and as Irish left political activists is to be able to step outside our political theory and to listen to the voices of Ukrainian trade unionists, feminists, LGBTQ+ activists, socialists, anarchists.. to listen to their reality, to respond to their requests, to empathise with the horrific situation in which they find themselves…
Read the rest of this entry »Government Decision “Heartless and Cruel” and must be opposed says Irish Left With Ukraine
Press Statement – Government decision ‘heartless and cruel’ and must be opposed says Irish Left With Ukraine
Irish Left With Ukraine (ILWU) has condemned as “heartless and cruel” the government decision to withdraw accommodation supports for Ukrainian refugees, and has called on the trade union movement and all progressive forces to immediately launch a campaign to “reject firmly the government’s pandering to anti-immigrant sentiment.”
“In the midst of a housing crisis, the threat to throw 16,000 Ukrainians out of state-provided accommodation will mean evicting many of these people into homelessness,” said ILWU in a statement. “It will mean people being uprooted from their communities, children having to leave schools in which they are settled and have made classmates and friends, and people having to quit their jobs.
Alongside this, the decision to cut and eventually end altogether the Accommodation Recognition Payment will impact directly on a further 42,000 people who are currently accommodated in people’s homes across the country.
Read the rest of this entry »Trade Union Solidarity With Ukraine in Ireland – Activity of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) – by Sandra Corrigan, Global Development Officer (INTO)
Irish Left With Ukraine (ILWU) held a very fruitful meeting on Tuesday 24 March 2026 in the Teachers Club (which is associated with the INTO)
Sandra Corrigan, Global Solidarity Officer of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, described international solidarity work for teachers and children, including a solidarity fund, emergency supplies, trauma support, and advocacy that helped secure teacher salary increases for 2025–2026. Ukrainian teacher union reports emphasised the prolonged conflict and an education crisis.
Kateryna Maliuta- Osaulova of the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers TUEWSU Ukraine, worked with Sandra on this report.
Sandra’s extensive report is available here :
These issues will also be addressed at the next ILWU public meeting on April 21 2026 at 7.30pm in the Teachers’ Club 36 Parnell Square West.
Details are here :
Public Meeting
Why we need solidarity with Ukraine
Speakers:
Mick Antoniw (Labour party Member of the Senedd [Welsh Assembly]; co-founder of the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, England & Wales)
Anatoliy Primakov (Ukrainian Action Ireland)
Sinéad Gibney TD (Social Democrats)
Kevin Donoghue (Campaigns Officer, FÓRSA trade union)
Chairperson :
Nóirín Greene, ex-member of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Executive
Time: 7:30pm
Date: Tuesday 21st April 2026
Place: Teachers Club 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 D01 T6V6
To participate via zoom link, please email: irishleftwithukraine@gmail.com
by 19th April
Why we need solidarity with Ukraine – Public Meeting, Teachers Club Parnell Square, Dublin 1 D01T6V6, Tuesday April 212026, 7.30pm
Public Meeting
Why we need solidarity with Ukraine
Speakers:
Mick Antoniw (Labour party Member of the Senedd [Welsh Assembly]; co-founder of the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, England & Wales)
Anatoliy Primakov (Ukrainian Action Ireland)
Sinéad Gibney TD (Social Democrats)
Kevin Donoghoe (Campaigns Officer, FÓRSA trade union)
Chairperson :
Nóirín Greene, ex-member of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Executive
Time: 7:30pm
Date: Tuesday 21st April 2026
Place: Teachers Club 36 Parnell Square, Dublin 1 D01 T6V6
To participate via zoom link, please email: irishleftwithukraine@gmail.com by 19th April
Reflections: Dublin’s racist mobs smashed the city centre, 23.11.23 – “You Don’t get to be Racist and Irish” – Imelda May
Very often, like many others (in their millions), I walk into Dublin city centre, passing through Parnell Square. November 23 2023, shortly before 1.00pm seemed no different. That impression was soon shattered. I collected a monthly prescription from a chemist on Portland Row, off the North Circular Road. Proceeding into town past Mountjoy Square, I dropped into my former place of work – the FÓRSA Trade Union headquarters in Nerney’s Court off Gardiner Place – for a chat, a cup of coffee, and a visit to the jacks. The staff at reception were, as usual, very friendly. Then a woman in her 30’s entered, very shook. She told us about a big police cordon around Parnell Square and a horrible incident – news was spreading about a man who stabbed children and an adult outside an Irish language school. Rumours were circulating.
At this point I encourage readers to read and listen to a very good short Dáil speech of Paul Murphy delivered on November 28 2023. It explains a lot :
First, I send my thoughts and solidarity to the victims and the families of the victims of the stabbing attack. It is just horrifying and so nightmarish to think of children being attacked in such a way. In the response to that horror, we saw the very best of our city – Warren, Caio, Leo, Siobhán and others – people who were white Irish and immigrants coming together and putting their lives on the line to try to protect children.
Paul Murphy TD (Dublin South-West), People Before Profit, Dáil Éireann, November 28 2023
Our city and country should have now been uniting around the families of the victims in solidarity with them. Instead, sickeningly and disgustingly, far-right, racist and fascist agitators said this was their chance to incite a riot and to spread hatred and division. We know who incited this riot and called for people to come out on the streets. These people did not hide themselves or issue the calls anonymously. At 2.16 p.m., a white supremacist, Mick O’Keefe, issued his first tweet. He followed that at 2.50 p.m., saying that a foreign man entered the school and stabbed five children and he said the kids were dead. Fergus Power tweeted at 2.55 p.m. that a five-year-old girl was alleged to have passed away and that “This better get people off their arses and out onto the streets”. Phillip Dwyer, a crèche creeper and dog kicker, streamed a video at 4.04 p.m. in which he said he would be in town at 6 p.m. Gavin Pepper, another far-right agitator, called people onto the streets for 7 p.m. in town. Derek Blighe had a video in which he said “We are at war,” echoing the words of Conor McGregor. We know who called people out. We also have to look at the role of some people in this Chamber. I will mention one. Deputy Mattie McGrath earlier called for a “reasonable debate” on migration. Fine, let us have the debate but a part of that will be Mattie’s connections with the far-right. He has been photographed with Gavin Pepper; photographed with Andy Heasman; a street meeting with many of the people who were involved in organising this. He has been laundering far-right conspiracy theories using his platform in this Dáil repeatedly and he is not the only one.
Tributes to Sally Shovelin, Socialist and Feminist Activist – August 25 1957 – August 4 2023
Sally Shovelin passed away on August 4 2023 after an 18 month battle with cancer.
Sincerest Condolences to Sally’s partner John Gallagher, her close friends Betty Purcell and Helen Mahony, her sister Nora Shovelin and many other friends and family.
I first met Sally in the mid 1970’s via membership of People’s Democracy (part of the Fourth International). From that time onwards she was a committed left-wing, feminist, trade union, and anti-imperialist activist – always courageous and willing to confront injustice.
Sally Shovelin holds a Poster “Dublin Women Support Women Prisoners”, Armagh, April 7 1979 – many thanks to Derek Speirs for the photograph
We remained in regular contact for many decades, our paths often crossing in political campaigns and many enjoyable social events. Sally had an impish sense of humour, and was great company.
Read the rest of this entry »Trade Unionists for Solidarity with Ukraine -Russian Troops Out of Ukraine Now – Irish Congress of Trade Unions Conference Official Fringe Meeting – Maginnes 3, Lyrath Hotel Kilkenny – Tuesday July 4 2023, 17:30
Trade Unionists for Solidarity with Ukraine –
Russian Troops Out of Ukraine Now
ICTU BDC Official Fringe Meeting
Maginnes 3, Lyrath Hotel, Kilkenny
Tuesday July 4 2023 17.30
Zoom Link : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82438977972?pwd=NlR1dVVra0VoNkRXTFFjYnY4SHZKdz09
Speakers :
Gregor Kerr – Irish National Teachers Organisation delegate to ICTU BDC, member of the ICTU Global Solidarity Committee (Personal Capacity)
Nataliya Levytska , Deputy Chair, KVPU (Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine)
Sergey Movchan, member of Solidarity Collectives Ukraine
Denys Pilash, political scientist and historian representing Sotsialnyi Rukh (Social Movement Ukraine)
Chairperson : Nóirín Greene, Former ICTU Executive Member
We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and their defence against the illegal and brutal invasion of February 2022. We want an immediate stop to the bombardment of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure by the Russian Federation and to war crimes and human rights abuses in the occupied territories.
We are for the speediest possible end to the war, based on
- The immediate withdrawal of all Russian forces
- Self-determination for Ukraine and restoration of occupied territory
- Ukraine’s right to appeal for, and be provided with, the military equipment needed to defeat the invasion.
- Approval of any ‘peace deal’ by the people of Ukraine
We extend our solidarity to Ukrainian trade unionists and socialists who continue to promote
and defend workers’ rights. We oppose the introduction of new labour laws in Ukraine which
have undermined trade union and worker rights.
We support a socially progressive reconstruction of Ukraine, with trade unions and civil society
playing a central role. We therefore support the cancellation of Ukraine’s foreign debt and
seizure of Russian assets to help fund state and society-led reconstruction with fully state-
funded welfare state and a low carbon sustainable economy.
Read the rest of this entry »Dublin Against the Far-Right – Successful Demonstration – February 6 2023
Two Anti-Racist Organizations – Le Chéile (Diversity Not Division) and United Against Racism – called a successful anti-racist demonstration in Dublin City Centre at the Spire, O’Connell Street, across the road from the General Post Office (GPO) – site of the Easter 1916 Rising.
By start time of 1.30pm over 200 people turned up – nearly two hours later numbers rose to nearly 1000 people, and the column marched to the Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square. The mood was determined and cheerful. Several people on passing buses and trams demonstrated open solidarity. The scene is set for a bigger and broader demonstration on Saturday February 18. In recent days far-right demonstrations have spread across Dublin and other parts of Ireland like a plague.
Today’s event showed that mass opposition exists, and activists will positively work on this issue provided all shades of the left work in unity together. The photographs below are a visual record of a positive event.
Read the rest of this entry »“Well, 4 of us protested against the far right this afternoon – It’s now got around 85 thousand views and rising” – A FÓRSA trade union official, Andy Pike, was in Parnell Square, Saturday 4.2.2023
Well, 4 of us protested against the far right this afternoon Lots of abuse from some but more support from passers by. We at least made a point. @forsa_union_ie @apike1.
It’s now got around 85 thousand views and rising. Over 200 abusive comments as well. Going to keep those comments open just to allow them to disgrace themselves even more. Keep it coming, you only show yourselves up for what you are #IrelandForAll
It’s now got around 85 thousand views and rising. Over 200 abusive comments as well. Going to keep those comments open just to allow them to disgrace themselves even more. Keep it coming, you only show yourselves up for what you are #IrelandForAll
Surprised a picture of 4 folk with a tatty banner and home made placards has 50k views. Its attracted so much abuse we are more convinced than ever of the need to support Refugees. That’s why we will be supporting @LeCheileDND 1.30 at the GPO tomorrow so do come along if you can twitter.com/apike1/status/…
The Irish Times published this Una Mullally report on Monday February 6 2023 :
Tomás Ó Flatharta 