Anti-conscription strike remembered

A TALK about the Anti- Conscription Strike and its historical context in Wicklow took place last week in the Grand Hotel.

Organised by the Labour Party, the lecture was delivered by historian Charlie Callan and was followed by a discussion, chaired by Labour Party chairperson and recently selected Dáil candidate for Wicklow Jack O’Connor.

Mr O’Connor was highly critical of the Government for not marking the centenary of the strike..

‘It is deeply regrettable that the Government has chosen to completely ignore today’s Centenary of the Anti- Conscription Strike, which was organised by the Irish Trade Union Congress and Labour Party,’ said Mr O’Connor.

‘ The action, which was virtually universally supported throughout the country, beneficially affected the people of Ireland at least as much as some other events in “the decade of rebellion” which have been acknowledged, remembered and celebrated. It left Lloyd George’s conscription strategy in tatters and saved tens of thousands from the slaughter of the great imperialist war. Moreover, it also dramatically affected the course our subsequent history,’

He added that it was unclear if the Government’s lack of support was due to the event being organised by the Irish Trade Union Congress and Labour Party or because of a drift from Ireland’s tradition policy of ‘ positive neutrality’.