James Connolly: podcast appearances and interviews

James Connolly was a Scottish-born Irish republican, socialist, and trade union leader. Born in 1868 to Irish parents, he became an active socialist in Scotland before relocating to Ireland in 1896. There, he established the Irish Socialist Republican Party, which advocated for an independent Ireland free from British rule and capitalist interests. Connolly worked extensively as a full-time organiser in the United States for the Industrial Workers of the World between 1905 and 1910. He chose syndicalism over Marxist doctrine and emphasized the importance of organized labor. Upon returning to Ireland, he deputised for James Larkin in organising the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in Belfast and Dublin. During his time in Belfast, he aimed to unite Protestant workers into a broader labor movement but faced challenges in this effort. Following industrial unrest in 1913, Connolly saw new opportunities in Dublin to advance the goal of establishing a Workers' Republic through strikes. In 1916, he committed the Irish Citizen Army to support the plans for a nationwide insurrection led by the Irish Republican Brotherhood and the Irish Volunteers. Alongside Patrick Pearse, Connolly played a key role in commanding the Easter Rising from a rebel garrison at Dublin's General Post Office. He was wounded during the fighting and was subsequently executed along with other leaders for his part in the rebellion. Connolly remains recognized as an influential figure within Irish labor history and republicanism.