James Connolly - Socialist, Nationalist and Internationalist by Liam McNulty

Socialist, nationalist and internationalist nicely summarises the life journey of James Connolly. Author, Liam McNulty does an excellent job of tracking that journey from Edinburgh to Ireland onto America before returning to Ireland and the final four years leading up to execution, as one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. James Connolly was born in the Edinburgh slum of Cowgate in 1868. His Irish parents came from County Monaghan. Connolly’s life work as a socialist activist began in Edinburgh. He then went to Ireland in 1896, helping found the Irish Socialist Republican Party, with a view to transitioning nationalism into socialism. McNulty chronicles in detail Connolly's prolific work of activism, organising working people, writing and editing papers. He moves to America in 1905, where he learns valuable organising lessons from working with the unions. Returning to Ireland in 1910, McNulty describes Connolly as "a more rounded, more mature Labour movement leader, with a high profile as a socialist organiser and real experience of mass working-class struggle to his name." Connolly is always looking to unite the working class against capitalist oppressors. He is dismayed that religion seems to cause division, with working class protestants uniting under Edward Carson to oppose Home Rule. McNulty tries to tease out Connolly's at times ambiguous relationship with Catholicism and the Church. Himself an atheist but as a political strategist seeing the need to avoid conflict with the Church. The book goes into much detail regarding Connolly's role in various groups and publications - the list of acronyms is not a short one. Indeed, it can be argued that there is a little too much detail of different political sects, perhaps a little more on the personality of the man would have helped. That said, the detail does help explain how Connolly arrives at the Dublin GPO on Easter Sunday 1916. A socialist activist, Connolly figures along with union leader Jim Larkin as major players in the Dublin Lockout of 1913/14. A general strike in all but name, the dispute goes on for months - a real sign of how industrial action can bring united working class action. The unrest of the lockout is part of the revolutionary atmosphere of the pre-World War I years. Major industrial action, the suffragettes struggle and battle for Irish independence all combine to create a febrile atmosphere. McNulty brings this to life, placing Connolly as an important player in all of these struggles. The outbreak of war does impact Connolly's views significantly. He is said at first to back the Germans, as the best bet for Irish liberation, though privately, views British and German imperialism as equally bad. A true socialist, Connolly opposes war as pitting working class against working class in defence of the capitalist class interests. Latterly, though, there seems to be a conversion in some way to nationalism on the part of Connolly. He meets the Irish Republican Brotherhood leadership over a number of days in January 1916, after which he and the Irish Citizens Army are committed to revolt. McNulty teases this point out without ever really nailing why the methodical, analytical socialist decides to throw in his lot with the predominantly Catholic nationalists. At best, it seems to be a seize the moment action. The legacy of Connolly is briefly covered, without going too far down the road of what ifs. All in all, this is a thoroughly scholarly work that provides some fascinating insights into a true Irish socialist revolutionery. A bit hard going at times, the reader will feel far better informed on the important role Connolly and his comrades played in transforming Ireland during this unique period of history and the impact of his legacy later. Published by Merlin Press - £25