The Purpose:

James Connolly was clearly an influential figure in Irish history and is most notably remembered for his contribution to the 1916 rising, however, in order for people to appreciate what James Connolly stood for as an individual, it is necessary to get a real idea of the work and issues that drove him prior to 1916.

 
 

A Brief History of James Connolly:

James Connolly held many titles, firstly as a loving husband and father, a self educated man, Union organiser, Newspaperman, Revolutionary leader and one of the greatest iconic figures in Irish and international history.
Connolly took his cause from the Ireland of the early 1900’s to the United States, where he spent several years working with the Wobblies (The Industrial Workers of the World) It was the skills he attained through this work that enabled Connolly to return to Ireland and help James Larkin establish the Irish Transport and General Workers Union.

Connolly was deeply affected by the brutal way in which the people of Dublin were being treated by employers during the 1913 Lockout, this unfair treatment of the Irish workforce reinforced Connolly’s commitment to break the link with Britain and establish an Irish Workers Republic.

Connolly went on to form the Irish Citizens’ Army as a means to move towards the revolution of 1916, However, it was the failure of the first phase of the revolution that led to his capture, and though gravely wounded, he was shot by a British army firing squad whilst tied to a chair in Kilmainham Jail.

The death of James Connolly passed the torch to a new generation, and it was his daughter Nora Connolly who continued to forge on with the dreams and aspirations of a better Ireland, that had fuelled the life of her father. The relationship between Connolly and his daughter as comrades in revolution instils an unusual yet intriguing dynamic into an exciting and highly gripping story.

The primary purpose of this project is to re instil the positive values derived from Irish History and to hopefully restore some of the basic principles of family, education, courage, spirit, fair treatment of workers and an appreciation for the more positive aspects of our heritage. Unlike productions of its kind, this play focuses on the historical issues that drove these men to revolt and looks at this harrowing piece of History through the eyes of ordinary working class people, their family lives and how they evolved into the names we know and recognise today.

 

For further info contact Karina Robert (Production Manager) at info@twelvedaysinmay.com

 

  

 
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