Story of James Connolly

James Connolly was born on June 5th of 1868 in Edinburgh, Scotland with Irish parents. It is said that he first came to Ireland as a member of the British Army and stationed in Dublin at the age of 14. It was when he was stationed in Ireland that he had witnessed how bad the Irish had been mistreated not only by the British Army but also by the rich land lords who owned most land.

He had married in 1889 and moved to Scotland where he became an active member of The Socialist movement but then moved back to Ireland in 1896 starting the Irish Socialist Republican Party.

Connolly immigrated to the United States in 1903 and became a member of the U.S. Socialist Labour Party and the Industrial Workers of the World. By 1907 he founded the New York Socialist Federation but returned to Ireland in 1910 starting The Socialist Party of Ireland.

James Connolly joined the Irish Transport and General Workers Union but went onto form the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) after the "Great Lockout." The Irish Citizen Army became a well trained and armed unit of men who were to defend workers and strikers from the armed gangs that were employed by the owners of businesses.

He had fallen out with the leaders of the Irish Volunteers over the disallowing of the ICA having any say into their leadership. The Irish volunteers was quiet a large force but were split in their opinions over sporting the British with their war.

James Connolly wrote: "We succeeded in proving that Irishmen are ready to die endeavoring to win for Ireland those national rights which the British government has been asking them to die to win for Belgium. As long as that remains the case, the cause of Irish freedom is safe. I personally thank God that I have lived to see the day when thousands of Irish men and boys, and hundreds of Irish women and girls, were ready to affirm that truth, and to attest it with their lives if need be."

After the Home Rule was passed some leader of the Irish Volunteers accepted the fact that Ireland would still be governed by London many was angered and left their ranks to join the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

Connelly only knew too well that some leadership in the Irish Volunteers would not step up and fight against the British in Ireland. He threatened that he and his men would go it alone. This brought surprise and attention from the Irish Republican Brotherhood who were also planning a rebellion against the British and who were now recruiting the deserters of the Irish volunteers.

To stop Connolly and his men from starting their own rebellion and placing IRB's planned rebellion into jeopardy they acted quickly in meeting with Connolly and persuaded him to join forces. Some believed that James Connolly had been kidnapped by the IRB and had been missing for over three days. It was then on his return that it was known that he and his men of the Irish Citizen Army had joined ranks of the Irish Republican Brotherhood with leaders such as Tom Clarke and Padraig Pearse. It was decided that together they will rebel against the English in Easter 1916.

James had signed the Irish Proclamation of Independence along with six other comrades and was in full command of the Dublin GPO at the time of the 1916 Easter Rising, which was being used as the HQ for the Republicans.

During the rebellion James Connolly was badly injured and when he and his fellow countrymen surrendered they were court-martialed and sentenced to death at Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin.

James Connolly was unable to stand due to his injuries so he was sat on a chair and shot dead on 12th May 1916 by the British Armed Forces. Many Irish people had been extremely angered by the barbaric act of the British, even those who disagreed with the 1916 Rebellion.

A Song About James Connelly