Irish Socialist Republican Party

Last updated

Irish Socialist Republican Party
Leader James Connolly
FoundedMay 1896 [1]
Dissolved1904
Preceded byDublin Socialist Club
Succeeded by Socialist Party of Ireland (1904)
Ideology Socialism
Irish republicanism
Anti-imperialism
Marxism
Political position Left-wing

The Irish Socialist Republican Party was a small, but pivotal Irish political party founded in 1896 by James Connolly. Its aim was to establish an Irish workers' republic. The party split in 1904 following months of internal political rows.

Contents

History

The party was small throughout its existence. According to the ISRP historian Lynch, the party never had more than 80 active members. Upon its founding one journalist commented that the party had more syllables than members. [2] The party emerged out of the Dublin Socialist Club when a motion was put forward at Pierce Ryan's pub on Thomas Street, Dublin to form a party. Connolly and six others were present at inaugural meeting. [3]

Nevertheless, the ISRP is regarded by many Irish historians as a party of seminal importance in the early history of Irish socialism and republicanism. It is often described as the first socialist and republican party in Ireland, and the first organisation to espouse the ideology of socialist republicanism on the island. During its lifespan it only had one really active branch, the Dublin one. There were several attempts to create branches in Cork, Belfast, Limerick, Naas, and even in northern England but they never came to much. [4] The party established links with feminist and revolutionary Maud Gonne who approved of the party. [5]

The party produced the first regular socialist paper in Ireland, the Workers' Republic, ran candidates in local elections, represented Ireland at the Second International, and agitated over issues such as the Boer War and the 1798 commemorations. Politically the ISRP was before its time, putting the call for an independent "Republic" at the centre of its propaganda before Sinn Féin or others had done so.

A public meeting held by the party is described in Irish socialist playwright Sean O'Casey's autobiography Drums under the Window.

Connolly who was the full-time paid organiser for the party subsequently left Ireland for the United States in 1903 following internal conflict; in fact it seems to have been a combination of the petty infighting and his own poverty that caused Connolly to abandon Ireland (he returned in 1910). Connolly had clashed with the party's other leading light, E. W. Stewart, over trade union and electoral strategy. A small number of members around Stewart established an anti-Connolly micro organisation called the Irish Socialist Labour Party. In 1904, this merged with the remains of the ISRP to form the Socialist Party of Ireland. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seamus Costello</span> Irish republican (1939-1977)

Seamus Costello was an Irish politician. He was a leader of Official Sinn Féin and the Official Irish Republican Army and latterly of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Connolly</span> Irish republican, trade unionist and socialist revolutionary

James Connolly was an Irish republican, socialist, and trade union leader. Born to Irish parents in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, Connolly left school for working life at the age of 11, and became involved in socialist politics in the 1880s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish nationalism</span> Political movement asserting the sovereignty of the Irish people

Irish nationalism is a nationalist political movement which, in its broadest sense, asserts that the people of Ireland should govern Ireland as a sovereign state. Since the mid-19th century, Irish nationalism has largely taken the form of cultural nationalism based on the principles of national self-determination and popular sovereignty. Irish nationalists during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries such as the United Irishmen in the 1790s, Young Irelanders in the 1840s, the Fenian Brotherhood during the 1880s, Fianna Fáil in the 1920s, and Sinn Féin styled themselves in various ways after French left-wing radicalism and republicanism. Irish nationalism celebrates the culture of Ireland, especially the Irish language, literature, music, and sports. It grew more potent during the period in which all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, which led to most of the island gaining independence from the UK in 1922.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Citizen Army</span> Former group of trained trade union volunteers from the Irish Transport and General Workers Union

The Irish Citizen Army, or ICA, was a small paramilitary group of trained trade union volunteers from the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU) established in Dublin for the defence of workers' demonstrations from the Dublin Metropolitan Police. It was formed by James Larkin, James Connolly and Jack White on 23 November 1913. Other prominent members included Seán O'Casey, Constance Markievicz, Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, P. T. Daly and Kit Poole. In 1916, it took part in the Easter Rising, an armed insurrection aimed at ending British rule in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish republicanism</span> Political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland

Irish republicanism is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Republican Socialist Party</span> Irish political party

The Irish Republican Socialist Party or IRSP is a Marxist-Leninist and republican party in Ireland. It is often referred to as the "political wing" of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) paramilitary group. It was founded in 1974, during the Troubles, by former members of the Workers' Party, but claims the legacy of the Irish Socialist Republican Party of 1896–1904.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Communist Party of Ireland</span> Far-left political party in Ireland

The Communist Party of Ireland is an all-Ireland Marxist–Leninist communist party, founded in 1933 and re-founded in 1970. It rarely contests elections and has never had electoral success. The party is a member of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William O'Brien (trade unionist)</span> Irish politician and trade unionist (1881–1968)

William O'Brien was a politician and trade unionist in Ireland. While rarely dominating the political spotlight, O'Brien was incredibly powerful and influential behind the scenes, maintaining a firm grip over Ireland's trade unions for many decades. Besides his leadership in the trade unions, O'Brien was a founder, alongside James Larkin and James Connolly, of the Labour Party of Ireland. In later years a rift formed between Larkin and O'Brien that would last the rest of their lives and often divide the labour movement in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roddy Connolly</span> Irish politician (1901–1980)

Roderick James Connolly was a socialist politician in Ireland. He was also known as "Roddy Connolly" and "Rory Connolly".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republican Congress</span> Political party in Republic of Ireland

The Republican Congress was an Irish republican and Marxist-Leninist political organisation founded in 1934, when pro-communist republicans left the Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army. The Congress was led by such anti-Treaty veterans as Peadar O'Donnell, Frank Ryan and George Gilmore. In their later phase they were involved with the Communist International and International Brigades paramilitary; the Connolly Column.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Gilmore</span>

George Frederick Gilmore was a Protestant Irish republican and communist who became an Irish Republican Army leader during the 1920s and 1930s. During his period of influence, Gilmore attempted to shift the IRA to the political left, but alongside Peadar O'Donnell and Frank Ryan he was expelled for his efforts. After leaving the IRA, Gilmore attempted to unite Irish republicanism under the banner of the Republican Congress, but ideological debates split the group apart. Afterwards, Gilmore removed himself from public life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Con Lehane (socialist)</span>

Cornelius "Con" Lehane was a socialist active in the Irish Socialist Republican Party, the Social Democratic Federation, and the Socialist Party of Great Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anarchism in Ireland</span> Political movement in the Republic of Ireland

Anarchism in Ireland has its roots in the stateless organisation of the túatha in Gaelic Ireland. It first began to emerge from the libertarian socialist tendencies within the Irish republican movement, with anarchist individuals and organisations sprouting out of the resurgent socialist movement during the 1880s, particularly gaining prominence during the time of the Dublin Socialist League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Éirígí</span> Irish political party

Éirígí, officially Éirígí For A New Republic, is a socialist republican political party in Ireland. The party name, Éirígí, means "Arise" or "Rise Up" in Irish, and is a reference to the slogan "The great only appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise!" used by Irish socialists James Connolly and Jim Larkin. Éirígí was formed in 2006 by a group of community and political activists who broke away from Sinn Féin, believing that party was not committed enough to socialism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nora Connolly O'Brien</span> Irish politician, activist and write (1893–1981)

Nora Connolly O'Brien was an Irish politician, activist and writer. She was a member of Seanad Éireann from 1957 to 1969.

Robert Dorman, often known as Bob Dorman, was an Irish socialist activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. T. Daly</span> Irish trade unionist and politician (1870-1943)

Patrick Thomas Daly, known as P. T. Daly was an Irish trade unionist and politician.

Edward W. Stewart was an Irish trade unionist and politician.

The Socialist Party of Ireland (SPI) was a small political party in Ireland associated with James Connolly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack White (Irish socialist)</span> Irish Citizen Army co-founder (1879–1946)

Captain James Robert "Jack" White, DSO was an Irish republican and libertarian socialist. After colonial service in the British military, he entered Irish politics in 1913 working with Roger Casement in Ulster to detach fellow Protestants from Unionism as it armed to resist Irish Home Rule, and with James Connolly to defend the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union in the great Dublin lock-out. White rallied to the defence of those condemned for the 1916 Easter Rising, but the combination of his socialism and anti-clericalism placed him at odds with the principal currents of Irish republicanism. Until experience of Republican Spain in 1936 convinced him of the anarchist critique of the party-state, he associated with a succession of communist-aligned groups. His last public appearance was in 1945, at an Orange Hall in his home town of Broughshane, County Antrim, where he proposed himself as a "republican socialist" candidate in the upcoming United Kingdom general election.

References

  1. James Connolly (1902). "Taken Root!".
  2. 16 Lives: James Connolly. p. 55.
  3. Irish socialist republicanism, 1909–36 by Adrian Grant page 19
  4. Radical Politics in Modern Ireland- A History of the Irish Socialist Republican Party 1896-1904 (Irish Academic Press), David Lynch,
  5. 16 Lives:James Connolly. pp. 65–66.
  6. Peter Barberis et al, Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations, p.251

Further reading