In his tour of TV studios this week, RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch was asked on ITV’s Peston show who his political hero was and immediately answered “James Connolly”.
The presenter looked quizzical and Lynch had to explain that Connolly was an “Irish, Socialist, Republican … trade unionist … hero of the Irish Revolution”.
Although of Irish descent and describing himself as an “Irishman”, Connolly was also a Scot, born in Edinburgh, he spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. After serving in the British Army and deserting, he became a socialist and the secretary of the Scottish Socialist Federation, standing for local elections. He moved to Dublin for work at the age of 27. In Ireland he founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party. After several years working in America he returned to Ireland and helped found the Irish Labour Party before opposing the First World War and taking part in the Easter Rising against British rule over Ireland in 1916. He was executed by the British State for his part in the Rising.
ecosocialist.scot thought it was therefore highly appropriate that this week, Calton Books in Glasgow launched a new tee shirt: “Socialism – endorsed by James Connolly”. It looks like we are going to have more RMT picket lines over the summer before their battle is won, so what could be a better picket apparel than this Socialism – Connolly tee shirt?
We encourage all our readers to get down to Calton Books in Glasgow’s east end – the ‘best wee radical bookshop in the world’ – and get themselves kitted out for a summer of protest, alongside many of their other new items.
SOME OF THE NEW ITEMS AVAILABLE FROM CALTON BOOKS
Calton Books quality postcards now available including We Still Hate Thatcher!
As always many thanks for supporting the ‘best wee radical bookshop in the world’!
