James Connolly (1868-1916), the son of Irish immigrants, was born in Edinburgh. He came to Ireland in 1896 as paid organiser of the Dublin Socialist Club and founded The Workers' Republic, Ireland's first socialist newspaper. In 1911 he was appointed Belfast organiser of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union.
With James Larkin, Connolly led the workers of Dublin during the Great Lockout of 1913 and when Larkin went to the USA the following year, he assumed leadership of the union. His tiny Irish Citizen Army took part in the 1916 Rising, following which Connolly was executed.
This short book has established itself as one of the very best surveys of Connolly's life since it first appeared in the early 1980s. Its reappearance will be welcomed by all who remain fascinated by Connolly's life, especially its dialogue between socialism and nationalism.
'The men and women of your class - tell them their wrongs and yours -
Plant in their hearts that hatred deep that suffers and endures,
And treasuring up each deed of wrong, each scornful word and look,
Inscribe it in the memory, as others toil in a book
And wait and watch through toiling years the ripening of time,
Yet deem to strike before that hour were worse than folly - crime!'
from JAMES CONNOLLY,