Working class history left on the sidelines

SIR, I am writing with reference to the 32 -page supplement, The Kerry Rising, which was included in The Kerryman of January 27. While I appreciate the extensive research that went into the historical material presented, I felt it could have presented a much more balanced and rounded account of events in Kerry during the period of the Easter Rising if it had included the significant role the trade union movement played in Kerry at this time.

Indeed, as recently as October of last year I had a letter published in The Kerryman detailing James Connolly’s visit to Tralee in October 1915 where he spoke before 3,000 people at the launching of the Tralee branch of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union. A full account of this event is given in The Kerryman of October 23, 1915. A photograph of Connolly with the members of Tralee Trade’s Council taken at this event can be found at www.multitext.ucc.ie.

Had arms been landed in Kerry, the role of union members, including dock workers for unloading the arms and railway workers for transporting them around the country would have proved crucial.

The history of the organised working class, just as with the history of the womens’ movement in Ireland and Kerry, has been sidelined in most of the history texts of this period and I would argue intentionally so, for fear of inspiring radical action by rank and file union members today. Sincerely, Kieran McNulty, 25 Lios Rua, Cahermoneen, Tralee.