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James Connolly 1868-1916

Born in Edinburgh. He served for a number of years in the British Army. He was mostly self-taught. He studied Marx’s theories and tried to apply them to Ireland. He founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party, launched The Workers Republic and helped found the International Workers of the World (Wobblies). He went to America and returned to Ireland in 1910. He became the organiser of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in Ulster. In 1914 he became General Secretary of the Union when Larkin went to America. He also became head of the recently formed Irish Citizen Army. He took part in the Easter Rising, commanding the forces in the GPO, where he was wounded. He was sentenced to death for his part in the Rising and was shot propped up in a bath chair. He wrote Labour in Irish History, Socialism Made Easy, Erin’s Hope, The Reconquest of Ireland, a play Under Which Flag? and poetry. He is buried in Dublin.

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Further information and directions to the grave are to be found in "The End - An Illustrated Guide to the Graves of Irish Writers".  Click here to order a copy of this book