Irish Socialist Republican Party
Encyclopedia
The Irish Socialist Republican Party was a pivotal Irish
political party founded in 1896 by James Connolly
. Its aim was to establish an Irish workers' republic. It split in 1904 following months of internal political rows.
Despite its small size (According to the ISRP historian Lynch, the party never had more than 80 members) 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 one. There were several attempts to create branches in Cork
, Belfast
, Limerick, Naas, and even in northern England but they never came to much.
The party produced the first regular socialist paper in Ireland the Workers' Republic, ran candidates in local elections, represented Ireland at the Second International 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). After a further split, where a small number of members established an anti-Connolly micro organisation called the Irish Socialist Labour Party, the party became inactive and wound up in March 1904. Connolly had clashed with the party's other leading light, Edward Stewart, over trade union and electoral strategy. It was revived in 1909 with the new name Socialist Party of Ireland, but once more fell into inactivity as Connolly, who was more inclined to see revolution as proceeding from 'one big union' than from a revolutionary party
, became mainly engaged in the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
and the union-based Irish Citizen Army
.
Connolly compared the collapse of the party to 'losing a child'.
Other notable figures in the 'first' ISRP included William X. O'Brien
who became a leading figure in the Irish Trade Union movement, Cork man Con Lehane
, future Northern Irish Senator Robert Dorman
and Tom Lyng.
The legacy of the ISRP was to have an impact on the left-wing and republican movements in Ireland for many decades following its demise in 1904.
Following Connolly's execution by the British in 1916 and the 1917 February Revolution
in Russia
, the party was once more revived and in 1921 it became the first Communist Party of Ireland
.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
political party founded in 1896 by James Connolly
James Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
. Its aim was to establish an Irish workers' republic. It split in 1904 following months of internal political rows.
Despite its small size (According to the ISRP historian Lynch, the party never had more than 80 members) 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 one. There were several attempts to create branches in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Limerick, Naas, and even in northern England but they never came to much.
The party produced the first regular socialist paper in Ireland the Workers' Republic, ran candidates in local elections, represented Ireland at the Second International 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). After a further split, where a small number of members established an anti-Connolly micro organisation called the Irish Socialist Labour Party, the party became inactive and wound up in March 1904. Connolly had clashed with the party's other leading light, Edward Stewart, over trade union and electoral strategy. It was revived in 1909 with the new name Socialist Party of Ireland, but once more fell into inactivity as Connolly, who was more inclined to see revolution as proceeding from 'one big union' than from a revolutionary party
Revolutionary Party
Revolutionary Party is the name of several political parties, including:*Dominican Revolutionary Party*Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity*Revolutionary Progressive Nationalist Party of Haiti*Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party, India...
, became mainly engaged in the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
The Irish Transport and General Workers Union, an Irish trade union, was founded by James Larkin in 1908 as a general union. Initially drawing its membership from branches of the Liverpool-based National Union of Dock Labourers, from which Larkin had been expelled, it grew to include workers in a...
and the union-based Irish Citizen Army
Irish Citizen Army
The Irish Citizen Army , or ICA, was a small group of trained trade union volunteers established in Dublin for the defence of worker’s demonstrations from the police. It was formed by James Larkin and Jack White. Other prominent members included James Connolly, Seán O'Casey, Constance Markievicz,...
.
Connolly compared the collapse of the party to 'losing a child'.
Other notable figures in the 'first' ISRP included William X. O'Brien
William X. O'Brien
William X. O'Brien was a politician and trade unionist in Ireland.Born in Clonakilty, County Cork, O'Brien moved with his family to Dublin in 1897, and quickly became involved in the Irish Socialist Republican Party...
who became a leading figure in the Irish Trade Union movement, Cork man Con Lehane
Con Lehane (socialist)
Cornelius "Con" Lehane was a socialist active in the Irish Socialist Republican Party, the Social Democratic Federation, and the Socialist Party of Great Britain....
, future Northern Irish Senator Robert Dorman
Robert Dorman
Robert Dorman , often known as Bob Dorman, was an Irish socialist activist.Dorman was born in Dublin, and was brought up as a Quaker. He served with the Royal Navy and with the Young Men's Christian Association, later working in insurance. Around 1885, he was living in Derry and was already...
and Tom Lyng.
The legacy of the ISRP was to have an impact on the left-wing and republican movements in Ireland for many decades following its demise in 1904.
Following Connolly's execution by the British in 1916 and the 1917 February Revolution
February Revolution
The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the party was once more revived and in 1921 it became the first Communist Party of Ireland
Communist Party of Ireland
The Communist Party of Ireland is a small all-Ireland Marxist party, founded in 1933. An earlier party, the Socialist Party of Ireland, was renamed the Communist Party of Ireland in 1921 on its affiliation to the Communist International but was dissolved in 1924. The present-day CPI was founded in...
.
Further reading
- Radical Politics in Modern Ireland: A History of the Irish Socialist Republican Party (ISRP) 1896-1904, David Lynch, Dublin, Irish Academic Press 2005. ISBN 0-7165-3356-1.
- Communism in Modern Ireland: The Pursuit of the Workers' Republic since 1916, Mike Milotte, Dublin, 1984
External links
- A 'Political Studies Review' article on the ISRP
- The text of the 1896 political programme of the ISRP
- Review of book about ISRP
- Interview 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
- English magazine review of study of ISRP
- Scottish magazine review of a study of the ISRP
- Critical look at the ISRP in the Socialist Standard (UK)
- 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.