From Unity, 12 May 2007

Banners flying high

May Day in Belfast

by Lynda Walker

This year May Day in Belfast was undoubtedly the best yet, with hundreds of people coming from all over Ireland and Britain. Beginning at Custom House Square, people gathered in a leisurely fashion to listen to the speeches.
     The square was alive with men, women, and children. Bands gathered: the traditional brass bands, drumming bands, and samba bands. Patricia McKeown, vice-president of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Tony Woodley, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, Kerry Fleck of the Belfast and District Trade Union Council and Jack O’Connor, general secretary of SIPTU, made speeches. Chairperson for the day was Eugene McGlone, chairperson of the Northern Ireland Committee of the ICTU, who read out several messages of support, including one from the Sheffield Trades Council.
     The theme of the march was the centenary of the 1907 dockers’ and carters’ strike in Belfast, and Jer O’Leary (a Jim Larkin look-alike) re-enacted a speech by Larkin. Arguably the most significant event in the history of the trade union movement in the North of Ireland, led by Jim Larkin and Alex Boyd of the Independent Orange Order, thousands came out on strike, and the unity among the workers was great. As the May Day leaflet said, “the story of that summer is one of hope, strife, unity and struggle.” Even the Royal Irish Constabulary came out on strike.
     The march was led off by the three most significant unions that reflected the unions of the day: SIPTU (formerly ITGWU), TGWU, and the Belfast Trades Council. They followed a route going up towards the Shankill, across to the Falls Road and on into Belfast city centre to St George’s Market, where a festival of music, stalls and refreshments was provided. It was simply the best.

For those interested in the history of the 1907 strike the book City in Revolt by John Gray has just been republished and is available from the Linen Hall Library in Belfast.

Home page  >  Publications  >  Unity  >  2007  >  Banners flying high: May Day in Belfast
Baile  >  Foilseacháin  >  Unity  >  2007  >  Banners flying high: May Day in Belfast