Who Feared to Wear the Red Hand Badge! Songs and Poems of 1913 Lockout
The Lockout 1913 inspired many poems, ballads, songs and rhymes. Many of which were published in The Irish Worker. These poems and ballads provide a vivid portrait of the conditions faced by Dubliners during the Lockout, the battle between the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union and the Dublin Employers’ Federation and the key personalities of the time.As part of the City Hall Springtime Lectures Francis Devine and Fergus Russell performed ballads and songs of the 1913 Lockout. Songs include 'Freedom's Pioneers' by James Connolly and 'The Red Hand Badge' by AP Wilson.Right: Image from A Capital in Conflict, Dublin City and the 1913 Lockout. Copyright: Dublin City Library & ArchiveFrancis Devine's accompanying historical commentary gives the background of the Lockout and the songs featured here. He discusses The Irish Worker newspaper, women and the Lockout, Bloody Sunday, victims of the Lockout and figures such as Jim Larkin, William Marting Murphy, Divisional Magistrate E.G. Swifte (aka "forty bob") and Rosie Hackett after whom the newest bridge over the River Liffey was recently named.Listen to songs and poems of the 1913 Lockout with historical commentary by Francis Devine.Read the transcript.Recorded by Dublin Community Television on Tuesday 2nd April 2013 as part of the Spring series of City Hall lectures. The City Hall Lectures are organised by Dublin City Archives.Further ResourcesDublin Commemorations 1913-1916 Sources available at Dublin City Archives.The Reading Room, Dublin City Library and Archive, Pearse Street holds a wealth of material on the history of Dublin, including books, pamphlets, journals, street directories, and almanacs.Browse books on the 1913 Lockout in the Library Catalogue. Dictionary of Irish Biography: Over 9,000 signed biographical articles. Includes many figures from 1913 Lockout mentioned in this talk such as James Larkin, William Martin Murphy, James Connolly, Delia Larkin, Countess Markievicz, Helena Moloney, WP Partridge.The following online resources can be accessed free of charge at your local library (access links via our NetVibes portal). Ask library staff for information and assistance.Dictionary of Irish Biography: A comprehensive and authoritative biographical dictionary for IrelandIrish Times Digital Archive: This online archive service gives access to contemporary editions of the Irish Times from the mid-nineteenth century until the present.Irish Newspaper Archive: This online archive service gives access to contemporary editions of the Irish Independent and a range of other newspapers.The Ireland-JSTOR Collection: This online archive of academic articles can also be accessed free of charge at your local library.
This year sees the 100th anniversary of the birth of Woody Guthrie, American folksinger and songwriter. He wrote more than 1000 songs, which were all influenced by his travels, and dealt with such themes as the hardship of the Depression, the "Dust Bowl" drought and the Unions. He is best known for the song "This land is Your Land" and "So long it's been good to know ya". Many of the songs he wrote during his illness were lost as they were not recorded.In 1940, Alan Lomax began recording Guthrie's songs for the American Library of Congress. Around this time, he also met Pete Seeger in New York where Guthrie also performed with other activists, such as Lead Belly. During the 1950s and 1960s he became famous as a folk hero, influencing the younger generation of protest singers, such as, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg and others.He was born on July 14, 1912, and raised in the small town of Okemah, Oklahoma. His father was a businessman and was also involved in local politics. His early life was beset by many tragedies including the death of his sister in a fire which destroyed the family home. His father was financially ruined. His mother suffered from poor health, although, it was not known at the time that she was struggling with the symptoms of Huntington’s Disease for which she was later institutionalised and died.He received little formal education and taught himself to play the guitar. Both his parents were musically inclined and taught Woody a wide range of folk songs. During the 1930s he lived a very nomadic lifestyle, singing and performing his songs on the streets from place to place to eke out an existence. He travelled with migrant workers to California singing and busking along the way. Many of his songs are about his experiences in the Dust Bowl era during Depression times. Guthrie became a successful radio personality in Los Angeles, and began performing at protest meetings and picket lines. Guthrie was married three times and fathered eight children. He died 3rd October 1967 from complications of Huntington's disease which he had inherited from his mother.To celebrate Woody Guthrie Centenary, Billy Bragg and Andy Irvine will be staging a show at Vicar Street, 17th September which will focus on the legacy of Woody Guthrie.The Music Library has many of Woody Guthrie's CDs, Scores and books among its collectionSome Folk (Woody Guthrie)Dust Bowl Ballads (Woody Guthrie)Pastures of Plenty (Woody Guthrie)Struggle (Woody Guthrie)The History of American Folk (featuring Woody Guthrie)Bound for Glory (Woody Guthrie)