The Irish Socialist Republican Party was a small, but pivotal

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

political party founded in 1896 by

James Connolly James Connolly ( ga, Séamas Ó Conghaile; 5 June 1868 – 12 May 1916) was an Irish republican, socialist and trade union leader. Born to Irish parents in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, Connolly left school for working life at the a ...

. Its aim was to establish an Irish

workers' republic A socialist state, socialist republic, or socialist country, sometimes referred to as a workers' state or workers' republic, is a sovereign state constitutionally dedicated to the establishment of socialism. The term ''communist state'' is ofte ...

. The party split in 1904 following months of internal political rows.

History

The party was small throughout its existence. According to the ISRP historian Lynch, the party never had more than 80 active members. Upon its founding one journalist commented that the party had more syllables than members. The party emerged out of the Dublin Socialist Club when a motion was put forward at Pierce Ryan's pub on

Thomas Street, Dublin Thomas Street () is a street in The Liberties in central Dublin, Ireland. History The street is named after the church of St. Thomas, founded in 1175 near St. Catherine's church. The founder was William FitzAldelm, deputy and kinsman of King ...

to form a party. Connolly and six others were present at inaugural meeting. Nevertheless, the ISRP is regarded by many Irish historians as a party of seminal importance in the early history of Irish socialism and republicanism. It is often described as the first socialist and republican party in Ireland, and the first organisation to espouse the ideology of socialist republicanism on the island. During its lifespan it only had one really active branch, the

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

one. There were several attempts to create branches in

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

, Limerick, Naas, and even in northern England but they never came to much. The party established links with feminist and revolutionary

Maud Gonne Maud Gonne MacBride ( ga, Maud Nic Ghoinn Bean Mhic Giolla Bhríghde; 21 December 1866 – 27 April 1953) was an English-born Irish republican revolutionary, suffragette and actress. Of Anglo-Irish descent, she was won over to Irish nationalism ...

who approved of the party. The party produced the first regular socialist paper in Ireland, the ''Workers' Republic'', ran candidates in local elections, represented Ireland at the Second International, and agitated over issues such as the Boer War and the 1798 commemorations. Politically the ISRP was before its time, putting the call for an independent "Republic" at the centre of its propaganda before Sinn Féin or others had done so. A public meeting held by the party is described in Irish socialist playwright Sean O'Casey's autobiography ''Drums under the Window''. Connolly who was the full-time paid organiser for the party subsequently left Ireland for the United States in 1903 following internal conflict; in fact it seems to have been a combination of the petty infighting and his own poverty that caused Connolly to abandon Ireland (he returned in 1910). Connolly had clashed with the party's other leading light, E. W. Stewart, over trade union and electoral strategy. A small number of members around Stewart established an anti-Connolly micro organisation called the

Irish Socialist Labour Party Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

. In 1904, this merged with the remains of the ISRP to form the

Socialist Party of Ireland The Socialist Party is a political party in Ireland, active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Internationally, it is affiliated to the Trotskyist International Socialist Alternative. The party has been involved in various ...

.Peter Barberis et al, ''Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations'', p.251

References

External links

A 'Political Studies Review' article on the ISRPReview of book about ISRPInterview with Connolly scholars on the legacy of Connolly and the ISRP on the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. Published in the ''Irish Echo'' (US)''Scottish Left Review'' on ISRP study
*[http://www.historyireland.com/opencms/opencms/HI_modules/modules/letters/l_00007.html ''History Ireland magazine'' claims that one George Spain became leader of the ISRP following Connolly's departure to the United States in late 1903, a claim not made in David Lynch's 2005 study of the party.]
The ISRP and the Dewsbury Election (29 March 1902)Picture of the ISRP in Phoenix Park Dublin in 1901
{{Authority control 1896 establishments in Ireland 1904 disestablishments in Ireland Anti-imperialist organizations Communist parties in Ireland Defunct communist parties Defunct political parties in Ireland Defunct socialist parties in Europe Irish republican parties Marxist parties in Ireland Political parties disestablished in 1904 Political parties established in 1896 Political parties in pre-partition Ireland

History

References

Further reading

External links